Bullet Proof The Star of New York
by Leslie Emm
Summary: The team are drawn into the world of horse racing. With millions of dollars at stake, everyone has a motive for murder. Appearances from the usuals.
1. Prologue

**Bulletproof -Star of New York**

The team get caught up in the glamorous world of racing, with high adrenaline and millions of dollars at stake that gives everybody a motive for murder. Usual team. Mac, Jo, Hawkes, Danny, Lindsay, Flack, Sid and Adam. I am using established relationships to provide side stories here too Kate/Flack (established OC) along with cannon pairings. This is the final (probably lol) in the bulletproof series.

Prologue

Sid Hammerback leaned on the rail of the track. He took his racing seriously, studied the form, the horses, the jockeys. He even knew what the trainer had eaten for breakfast.

He watched as the little bay thoroughbred stallion galloped past him, ears flat to his head, nostrils flared. Some would say this sport was cruel, that making a horse run until it could run no more, using it's instinct to flee at the front of a herd for money was exploitation. But Sid _knew_ these horses, he saw the excitement in their eyes as they danced to the start line, he saw the determination as they battled to win. He saw the quiet knowledge in their wise eyes as they were led streaming with sweat to the winners enclosure. They knew they were the best.

He had of course, being a medical man, studied the muscle and bone structure of the equine. Huge lungs lying on each side of the body inflated with air pulled through flared nostrils at every stride. A heart full of valour pumped relentlessly between, arteries carrying newly oxygenated blood to the muscles that so desperately needed it. He marvelled at the design of nature that allowed an animal that could weigh up to a ton travel at speeds nearing 40mph. He mused that horses have no muscle from the knee and hock down, they have bone, sinew and tendon. Huge muscles in the hind quarters powered the horse forward, those skinny and seemingly fragile legs taking forces that they barely seemed able to withstand.

But anatomy aside, the horse was a beautiful creature, and The Star of New York was no exception. A small horse by racing standards, barely 15 hands, he was one of the fastest horses ever to walk the turf. He had almost perfect conformation for a race horse, and the aggression and ability to intimidate the opposition that made him a winner.

Of course the horse is just one part of the picture, and Sid knew this. He knew that the trainer, the jockey and the grooms were all vitally important. The grooms who took care of the horse, day to day. Saw to it's every whim, ensured that it was as happy and comfortable as possible. The trainer, who created a schedule that fitted the horses personality, played to it's strengths, improved on weaknesses, not that Star, as he was known to those closest to him, had any evident weaknesses. The jockey, the man who piloted these animals every day, who took fall after fall in their quest to win. Carl 'The King' Royle _was_ the best, but only with Star, the combination had set fire to race tracks across New York State, and they were still in the opening stages of what promised to be a glittering career for both.

The owners were the money men, the people who didn't usually know one end of a horse from the other, who didn't know what made the horses tick. They showed up, in hats and suits having paid vast amounts of money for the privilege of being photographed shaking the trainer and jockeys hand next to a heaving and sweating example of natures machinery at it's best, holding their latest accolade.

Sid marked his card with the time it had taken Star of New York and Carl Royle to complete the circuit of the track.

"Faster again" he mused, watching as the horse was now being walked on a long rein to catch his breath.


	2. Chapter 1

**Star of New York**

Chapter One

"It stinks in here" Detective Don Flack backed out of the stable area with a look of disgust on his face.

"That's the smell of the horse Don" Sid Hammerback told him with a smile "Nothing quite like it"

"I'll agree with that" Don replied with a twist to his lips "So what happened?" he took in the Doctors suit, Don had rarely seen him out of the scrubs he wore in autopsy, and the times he had, it was casual clothing during what they referred to as 'Family Time', where the team met up after a big case or a bad day for food, drink and company.

"From what I can tell" he followed Don outside "The horse went crazy in the loose box and attacked Carl, he was dead when I arrived, the course Doctor had pronounced"

"Trampled to death?" Don asked.

"More like kicked" Sid said "Then trampled"

"So our vic is" Don checked his notes "The jockey?"

"Do you not follow racing?" Sid asked him, clearly amazed "The sport of Kings?"

"No" Don said flatly "I don't"

"But it's not just about the horses!" Sid exclaimed "It's the ceremony! The adrenaline! The beauty! Star of New York and Carl 'The King' Royle are the newest sensations!"

Don gave him a look of undisguised impatience "So the vic is the horses jockey? Carl Royle?" he asked again, Sid took the hint.

"Ah yes" he said "They were due to race" he checked his watch "In the race of the day, about now actually"

"Right thanks Sid" he said "Mac is on his way, you hanging around?"

"I'm going to get him back and start the autopsy" he said.

"Right" Don said "I'm gonna start on witnesses, somewhere it don't smell so bad"

…...

"So you are?" Don asked the man, he was well dressed and reeked of expensive aftershave, it was worse than the horse smell.

"David Hennessey" the man answered "I own Star of New York"

"And Carl Royle was riding for you today?" he asked.

"Supposed to be, not now, obviously" Hennessey answered shortly.

"I'm sure being dead gives him a valid reason" Don ground out "Where were you at the time of the incident?"

"In the VIP box" Hennessey answered "My wife and I were entertaining guests when Joseph screamed in shouting that Carl was dead"

Don bit his lip to stop the profanities on the tip of his tongue"And then you came down here?"

"Yes, look" Hennessey said with impatience "Can I go? I have twenty guests up there, they were expecting to see my horse breeze in past the post again, and now I will have to think of alternative arrangements to entertain them!"

"How inconvenient" Don said, sarcasm evident, he snapped his notebook shut "I'll be sure to give Mr Royle's family your condolences"

"I don't care much for your tone detective" Hennessey warned "I happen to be good friends with the chief of police!"

Don stopped as he was about to turn, thought better of the comments that he was about to unleash, and turned away.

"Mr Clare?" he asked a man standing a few feet away from the stables "Detective Flack, may I have a few words?"

"Of course" Joseph Clare turned, wiping sweaty hands down a threadbare suit before shaking Don's hands "Joseph, please. How can I help?"

"I understand you found the body?" Don asked, immediately at ease with this man.

"No, no" Joseph said "That was Tommi, Star's groom. She went to get Star to bring him to the saddling enclosure and I heard her screaming, I found her outside trying to get Star to let her in. I'm Star's trainer"

"Tommi?" Don probed.

"Tommi Dane" Joseph replied "She is what we call the head travelling lass, and she looks after Star, Star of New York, the horse that..." he could not finish.

"You say the horse wouldn't let her in?" Don asked, scribbling away.

"No" Joseph mused "He's a stallion, and they can be temperamental, but I've had Star from a foal, he's never so much as laid an ear back at person before. Something must have happened to make him attack Carl like that"

"Where can I find Tommi?" Don asked.

"She's with Star" Joseph said "The vet had to sedate him, with a dart, so we could get to Carl, we took the horse out and he's currently in the isolation box over there" he pointed to a white washed building, standing alone.

"Thank you Joseph" Don said "Where can I find you if I need to speak to you again?"

"Hill Pasture farm" Joseph said quietly, distracted as they brought a body bag out on a stretcher. Don left him to it.

…...

"Hey" Lindsay said as she approached Don "What's goin' on?"

"Racehorse went nuts, trampled a guy to death" he answered.

"Ouch" she said.

"And some" he commented "I've spoken to everyone who was around, but so far they all say the same thing, they heard the groom Tommi, screaming and found her outside, the vic inside on the floor. Course doctor pronounced. Haven't managed to talk to the groom yet, she's with the horse and to be honest, the damn thing sounds crazy in there" he pointed to the isolation box "It can wait until she comes out"

"You scared of a horse Flack?" Lindsay teased.

"It just pounded a guy to death, and it's been tranked, but it's still goin' nuts" he looked at her, eyebrows raised "So, yeah"

Lindsay laughed "Mac got called away, so here I am, I hear Sid was here?"

"Yeah" Don put his head on one side "He's a bit of a race buff by all accounts, he went with the body, left you that" he pointed to a pile of brown evidence bags.

"Great" Lindsay said "Where's the primary?"

Don took a deep breath and led her under the tape "Geez" he said as he tried not to breathe through his nose.

"Oh I haven't smelled that for so long!" Lindsay said, her face in rapture as she captured the smell of horse and straw.

"Really?!" Don quizzed "You like it too?"

"I grew up with it" she sighed "There's no smell in the world like a horse"

"So Sid told me" Don wrinkled his nose "Anyway, the horse, Star of New York, was in here" he showed her a stable, littered with churned up straw, blood and torn fabric "The vic was here" he pointed to where the concentration of blood was most "Sid took pictures before he moved the body, said they'll be waiting for you at the lab"

"Thanks" she said, taking stock of the area as Don's phone bleeped.

She caught his sly grin as he read the message, looking up he saw her looking at him, and offered her the phone, deciding Lindsay would get a kick out of it. She took it, reading the screen.

**REMINDER - **_It's your anniversary – Get your ass home!_

Lindsay laughed, handing the phone back "That's a good idea" she mused.

"I didn't forget" he grinned back "Despite what Kate thinks"

"Have fun" Lindsay told him, seeing his look of doubt.

"I need to interview the groom" he said.

"Danny's on his way" Lindsay said "He can do that, go on, go. You don't get to spend much time together as it is"

"Thanks" Don said.

…...

"Wow" Danny said as he held up something in his tweezers, trying to work out what it had once been "I got teeth, hair, skin, bone. This horse was really pissed"

Lindsay looked up from fingerprinting the stable door "When you consider that it has metal feet and weighs almost a ton, it's not surprising"

"You got anything?" he asked.

"Several overlapping prints on the bolt" she said "Blood smears and spatter on the inside of the door, and what I assume is horse saliva on the top along with more prints"

"Well, the groom and trainer were here" Danny said "And the vic, so they're prints are expected. We can also expect the vet and course doctor and Sid's to be present"

"Yes" Lindsay said "Visually I have nine sets of different prints, but only seven people to potentially eliminate"

"I would imagine the bloody ones belong to the vic" Danny mused "Or maybe the doctor too"

"Mmmm" Lindsay said "I'll know more when I get them separated out back at the lab, you almost done?"

"No where near" he sighed "I've got _brain_ matter here I think"

"You want some help?" she grinned.

"I knew there was a reason I married you" Danny grinned back.

"Oh" she said suddenly "Can I just borrow your phone a sec?"

"Why?" he asked "Where's yours?"

"Do I need a reason?!" Lindsay challenged.

"I think it's better I don't know" Danny said, handing her his phone.

Lindsay grinned, tapping away "I think so too"

…...


	3. Chapter 2

**Star of New York**

Chapter 2

Danny backed off slightly as the horse approached him sleepily, trying to appear nonchalant.

"We need to process the horse" he told a small dark haired girl, barely out of her teens.

"Process?!" the girl said "Will it hurt him?"

"No" Lindsay smiled at her "Tommi, right?"

"Yes" the girl eyed Lindsay warily "I look after Star"

"Look Tommi, Star is going to have important evidence on him, and I need to look at that, do you think it would be safe?" Lindsay asked.

"He's tranked out of his mind" Tommi said sadly "He can barely stand up, he's safe"

"OK" Lindsay said "Could you hold him?"

"Linds" Danny interjected "I don't like this"

"I grew up around horses Danny" Lindsay said "And it won't take long, you heard her, he's tranquillised"

Tommi haltered the horse and stroked his nose as Lindsay took photographs, at the first few clicks, the horse jumped and shivered, then as she continued he rested his head against Tommi and dozed.

"So you're his groom Tommi?" Danny asked, ready with the door to open it and let them out and hopefully keep the horse _in_, should the need arise.

"Yes" she said quietly "I've worked for Joseph for five years, I was there when Star was born, I've been with him every step of his life"

"Is this out of character for Star?" Danny asked gently.

Tommi nodded "He's a stallion, so he _can_ be aggressive, but he's never been aggressive to a person, he saves that for the track. Carl must have hurt him pretty bad for him to go nuts like that, I've never seem him like that. Not even around other stallions"

"There's no obvious sign of trauma to his body" Lindsay observed "Minor bumps and bangs that you would expect from him kicking the stable wall, but nothing to indicate he was hurt"

"Then _something_ must have set him off" Tommi said "Because he's just not like that"

"I'm nearly done" Lindsay cooed to the horse as she swabbed his drooping bottom lip for a reference sample, the horse didn't move.

"Will he have to be destroyed?" Tommi asked.

"That's not up to us" Lindsay laid a hand on the girls shoulder kindly, personally she thought that maybe _was_ the best option.

Closing the door Tommi faced them.

"One thing I don't get" she said "Is why Carl was there, in the stable I mean"

"That isn't usual?" Danny's interest was sparked.

"It's my job to saddle Star and bring him to the mounting area, Carl didn't usually go near him other than then, not even at home" Tommi said "He rode him and that's about it"

"So Carl rode him away from the races too?" Lindsay asked "In training?"

"At the gallops" Tommi confirmed "I rode him day to day, to get him fit, Carl rode him at the gallops a few times a week and the races"

"Thank you Tommi" Lindsay said "Is Star staying here?"

"For now" Tommi replied "Until the sedation wears off, and then he'll be going home"

"Where's that?" Danny asked.

"Hill Pasture Farm" she said "I live there too"

"There's just one last thing" Lindsay said, holding out a pair of her own spare coveralls "I'm afraid I need to take your clothes for analysis, and we need to take a DNA sample from you for elimination, and your fingerprints"

"Oh" Tommi looked down at her clothes "Will I get them back? It's just, well Joseph can't afford to pay me much, and these are the only clothes I have for the races, I can't replace them"

"If they're needed for evidence" Lindsay smiled at her "Or damaged, you can claim the cost of new ones back from the department, that OK?"

"I guess" Tommi shrugged.

…...

"I'm sorry Don" Sid greeted him across the autopsy table "Lindsay just told me it's your wedding anniversary, two years, how times flies"

Don shrugged "Kate got called out about five minutes 'fore I did" he said "Some nut job on a roof with a cannon"

"A cannon?!" Lindsay said "People get weirder"

"The joys of being married to one of New Yorks finest" Sid commented.

"Indeed" Don said "So murder? I don't think they make cuffs big enough for a horse..."

Sid laughed "Not" he said pointing at Carl Royle's head "The horse"

Making sure he had his audience captive, Sid leaned in, peeling back the skin and tissue he had cut through to access the victims skull, he fingered a deep fracture.

"This was made by a horse shoe" he said.

"Sid..." Lindsay prompted , seeing Don's impatient face.

"Bear with me" Sid replied, flicking a monitor above them on, the picture detailed the damage the blow had caused "This was what killed him, the other injuries were made after death. The fractures are much lighter, and the impressions are different. See?"

He showed the first injury, magnified on the left of the screen and compared it to another injury, magnified on the right.

"The one on the right I am almost certain, is from the horse's foot, see the pattern?" he pointed it out "But _this_ one on the left, see how it's different? The indent is deeper and the nail marks?"

"So what does that mean?" Don asked.

"The day they race" Sid unsnapped his glasses, leaning on the table "The horses shoes are changed from the regular iconic horse shoes to lightweight aluminium ones, they allow the horse to move faster, called racing plates, and they are glued on rather than nailed"

Snapping the glasses back on he pointed to the screen again "The injury on the right was caused by a racing plate. The vic has literally hundreds of these impressions on him where the horse trampled him. But _this_ one" he pointed to the picture on the left, the death blow "Was caused by a regular horse shoe, do you see the nail impressions? And how the shoe edge is wider and deeper? And by my reckoning, that shoe was made for a horse a lot bigger than Star of New York"

…...

"Hey babe, hard at work I see" Kate watched Don take his keyboard from his lap, unfold his legs from his desk and put them on the floor.

"I'm trying to get a warrant for a horses shoes" he told her "It's harder than it looks"

"I'm not even gonna ask" she said, handing him a cup of coffee "This you for the night then?"

He nodded "I'm thinkn' yes" he replied "Seein' as I have to wake up someone to open the race course again and we're going back searching for a murder weapon"

She stood, leaning down to kiss him "I'll see you in the morning then"

"If I'm home before you leave" he said.

"I'm off tomorrow" a brief frown crossed her face, but not quick enough for him to miss it.

"You OK?" he asked.

"Yeah" she forced a smile "I'm just tired, call me when you're on your way home"

"Uh huh" he said, giving her a long look before picking up his phone.

…...


	4. Chapter 3

**Star of New York**

Chapter 3

"How's it goin'?" Adam looked up from the machine he stood over, seeing Mac at the door.

"I processed the vic's" clothes he said frowning "Found a _lot_ of blood, hair from the horse and horse saliva, which I matched to Lindsay's reference sample. I also found traces of vaginal fluid, semen and spermicide in his underwear" Adam looked at Mac.

"Means he had sex shortly before death, and used a condom. You run it through CODIS?" Mac asked.

"No hits" Adam replied "But I did call Lindsay and tell her to be on the lookout for a used condom"

"Romance is not dead after all" Mac gave Adam a half smile "Are they back at the crime scene?"

"Yeah, looking for the murder weapon" Adam confirmed "Say boss, I thought you were 'called away'?"

"I was" he told Adam "And now I'm back, go on"

"OK" Adam visibly shook himself "I found what you would expect from clothes that someone had been rolling around a stable floor in, horse urine, faeces, straw, hay. But _this_" Adam pointed to the mas spectrometer "Has me a little baffled"

Mac leaned closer "What is it?"

"I'm waiting for the results" Adam said "But whatever it was, it was liberally sprayed onto the vics clothes before he died, there's a uniform spray pattern all over the clothing"

"Aftershave?" Mac asked "Some kind of deodorant?"

"There was no smell at all" Adam told him "The liquid was colourless _and _ odourless, the only thing I can say is that it contained some kind of feremone"

"Feremone?" Mac frowned.

"Yes" Adam replied "And I did some digging, some ahem, men, use feremone sprays to attract women. Jury's still out on whether it works or not" Adam gave a small nervous laugh.

"Are there applications in the horse industry?" Mac asked.

"I don't know" Adam tried to hide the expression on his face that clearly told that he hadn't even considered it yet "But, I'm working on it"

"Well call me when you have something" Mac said.

"Will do" Adam replied, watching Mac leave "Wow, swerved that one"

…...

"Anything?" Mac asked Don as he approached the crime scene, ducking under the tape, his silhouette from the lights looming across the white washed brickwork of the stable block in the surrounding darkness of the racetrack.

"Except the conclusion that I'm gonna have to throw these clothes out?" Don said with a sneer "Not yet"

"Sid said we're looking for a horse shoe?" Mac's mouth twitched at Don's sarcasm, but he didn't rise.

"A _regular_ horse shoe" Don said "As oppose to an aluminium one that's glued on. Did you know that they _nail_ shoes to horses feet?!" he asked with his trademark disgusted expression.

"Yes" Mac replied "I did"

"There's gotta be something there for animal cruelty" Don replied with a doubtful frown.

"The horses foot only contains nerves deep inside the hoof" Mac explained "The hoof itself is like our fingernails, or hair, it has no sensation"

"I don't even wanna ask how you know stuff like that Mac" Don laughed "It's just better if I don't know"

This time Mac allowed himself a smile "Where is everybody?"

Before Don could answer a cry came from what appeared to be the roof of the stable block "**Boom!**"

"You got somethin?" Don shouted up.

"Do I _normally_ boom for nothin'?" Danny asked, his flashlight shining off something metallic in his hand "I think I got our murder weapon, it fits Sid's description and it has blood on it"

They could see the light reflecting off his glasses and just about see the glint of his teeth as he grinned in the darkness "Do me a favour" he called "Come round the back"

Don and Mac looked at each other, Don holding his hand out "After you" he said "I'll just get Lindsay"

"Hey Linds?" Don called, leaning into the stable area "Danny got somethin'!"

"Coming!" she replied, appearing from a room at the end of the block "I got somethin' too" she held up an evidence bag to him "A used condom"

"Oh you shouldn't have" Don replied, eyebrows raised.

"_I_ didn't" she said "But someone had a _lot_ of sex in that feed store. I got traces all over the work tops and the feed bins, but _this _was the only condom"

"At least someone practised safe sex" Don commented.

Around the back of the building, Danny and Mac gazed up at the roof of the stable block.

"What you got?" Lindsay asked.

"The murder weapon" Danny replied, noticing the evidence bag in her hand "You?"

"Used condom" she replied.

"I win" he laughed.

"Danny" Mac warned "Come on"

"Right!" Danny shone his flashlight onto the wall, guiding it up to the gutter area where the wall joined the roof "You see that?"

Don switched his own flashlight onto the area, further illuminating it "The marks on the wall?" he asked.

"Yeah" Danny replied "Like someone tried to throw something up, and missed a few times?"

"Something heavy" Lindsay observed.

"Like a horse shoe" Mac concluded, suddenly realising why Danny had taped of an area below the marks "Foot prints?" he asked.

"Some" Danny said "I'll get them back to the lab"

…...

"This is definitely what killed our vic" Danny said as he compared the two images through the microscope. Moving over to make way for Mac.

"You see the pattern match?" Danny continued as Mac looked "And it's the right size and depth"

"Any prints or DNA?" Mac asked, drawing back from the scope.

"Nothin'" Danny sighed "The blood is the vics. I'm thinkin'" Danny held the shoe up "That this shoe had been removed from a horses foot, rather than a new one. There's small amounts of hoof left on the nails and mud embedded in the ridge, nothing else though. It also looks worn down"

"Wiped clean" Mac mused "The farrier and anyone else who handled the horse who's foot was attached to this shoe, would have left evidence. The horse who wore this possibly worked on roads a lot, the toe is worn down and shiny. You get any DNA from the hoof?"

"I processed it" Danny shrugged "But there's no horse DNA database, except for racehorses, and that turned up nothin'"

"No" Mac stared at the shoe "The horse that wore this is bigger, heavier than a racehorse"

"Mac?" Danny frowned at him "How d'ya know all this stuff? About horses?"

"Do this job long enough" Mac smiled at him "And you learn a little piece of everything. Let's go home, get some sleep and look at this with fresh eyes tomorrow"

…...

"What's that?" Don asked as Kate hastily shoved some papers into a drawer.

"Oh nothing" she covered "What you want for dinner?"

"I don't care" he dismissed "I wanna know why you're hiding things from me, you been strange for weeks"

Kate looked at him, he had his arms folded across his chest, hair still wet from the shower, she slid her hands up his bare chest.

"I'm not hiding anything, and I'm _always_ strange" she said, kissing him, pulling away when he didn't kiss her back.

"Not gonna work Kate" he said with a half smile.

"Oh so you got bored of me already" she said "Great"

"And you're not starting an argument either" he said "I know _every_ trick you use to divert me, and I'm not buyin' it. So either _tell_ me what's in that drawer, or I'll look for myself"

"It's nothing" she said, biting her lip "Just forget it"

"Fine" he answered opening the drawer and retrieving the papers, reading them, then slamming them down on the table "Not hiding anything huh?!"

"It's fine" she said, looking away.

"It is _not_ fine!" he said aggressively "You failed your sight test _twice_!"

"Just leave it Don" she warned.

"No I won't!" he said "What's goin' on? Are you losing your sight?"

"Don't be so fuckin' dramatic!" she yelled "Don't worry, you're not gonna be lumbered with a blind woman!"

"Oh grow up Kate!" he yelled back "You can be so juvenile at times, it drives me nuts! You just can't see it can you? That I'm worried about you!"

"Great choice of words there" she yelled "Ever think of putting your brain in gear before you open you mouth?!"

He clenched his fists, turning away, knowing that by yelling at each other she was getting what she wanted, a diversion.

"I'm sorry" he said quietly "But I need to know what's going on, it affects me too"

"If you'd actually read it properly" she replied as he faced her again"It's just normal deterioration with age, I'll probably need glasses"

"Oh" he digested this, but he knew that wasn't now the main problem "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know!" she said, her voice unsteady "I'm on restricted duties, no more sniper action for me, need 20/20 vision for that"

He reached out, letting his hand drop again, he didn't know what to do "Kate, I'm sorry"

"Why?" she said "It's not your fault"

"Kate _please_!" he asked "Just stop it, OK, stop hiding, talk to me"

"I don't wanna talk about it" she replied stubbornly "I don't even wanna _think_ about it right now"

"You have to" he followed his instincts this time, wrapping his arms around her, ignoring the fact she was stiff and unyielding, he knew she'd give, eventually.

"Can't you do it for me?" she asked, softening with a slight laugh.

"Tell you what to do?" he kissed the top of her head "I wouldn't dare"

…...


	5. Chapter 4

**Star of New York**

Chapter 4

"Right" Mac said at the head of the table "The Carl Royle case, where are we?"

"I identified the substance on his clothes" Adam said "It _is _a feremone based spray, female horse feremones to be exact, it's not a commercial variety though, it's home made"

"How?" Mac asked.

"Well, some horse breeders use sprays like this to ah, tempt a reluctant stallion. The urine, from a mare in season, is mixed with water. If the stallion is too intent on fighting than lovin', they spray this about to get him in the mood" Adam coloured "Though why a jockey would want it on his clothes..."

"So this would put a horse off anything but breeding?" Mac asked "Unless Carl Royle was _trying_ to throw the race, why would he spray it on his own clothes?"

"I don't know" Adam said "I haven't identified the female donor yet, from his underwear, but the DNA matches the DNA on the condom, and the semen is a match to Royle, and it was fresh"

"So he definitely had sex shortly before he died" Mac said.

"I also matched the female donor to a sample, one of many I might add, that I found on the counter in the feed room of the stables. I also found two hits on semen I found there" Lindsay said, standing and tapping the screen "And one from Carl Royle. The two hits are rival jockeys, Samuel Reet and Joe Tate, both in the system. Reet for a DUI and Tate for a bar fight. However, Tate's prints were also on the horses stable door"

"We need to speak to him" Mac said "What else?"

"I'm going out to the farm" Don said "I wanna speak to the trainer again, he sold the horse to the owner David Hennessey when he hit hard times, I been through his financials, Joseph Clare, he needed this horse to win, he's facing bankruptcy"

"That fits with what the groom said" Lindsay added "She told us she didn't get paid much"

"I ran the foot prints, it's a size six riding boot, pretty standard but I'm workin' on it, I also looked at the murder weapon, other than confirming that it _is_ the murder weapon, there's not anything else it can offer, though I did find something interesting in the straw" Danny said "Where the horses urine had soaked into the straw I found high levels of testosterone present, higher than expected for a horse"

"The horse was being doped?" Mac said "We have female hormones on the jockey and a horse with higher levels of testosterone, making it more aggressive, that combination could have caused the horse to react as it did"

"So someone made it horny and angry at the same time?!" Adam asked "What up!"

Mac ignored him, save for an impatient look "What we need to know now, is how that feremone spray came into contact with the clothes and who was doping the horse, do that and we're a step closer to finding our killer"

"Don, you and Lindsay go out to the farm, try and find out who was doping the horse and why, and I want to know about the relationship Royle had with them" Mac ordered "Danny, you put me together a list of rival jockeys or anyone who had a grudge against this guy, and we'll run with that and this Tate character. I will be on my cell if anyone needs me"

…...

"Looks deserted" Lindsay commented as Don drove up the drive, wincing at every bump and pothole. Pulling into the yard they got out, looking around.

"There's that smell again" Don pulled a face.

"It's called fresh air" Lindsay rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"I like exhaust fumes" he replied, walking towards an open door "It's comforting"

"It's bad for you" she replied as they entered what was a tack room, rows of bridles hung under flat racing saddles, the area was immaculate, in contrast to the patchy roof and walls.

"So are a lot of things" he mused, looking at what he could mistake as bondage equipment "What _is_ all this stuff?"

"It's everything a horse needs" Lindsay replied "From the feed right up to the saddle it races in, city boy"

"Through and through" he grinned at her "Give me two wheels, at least a motorcycle doesn't have a mind of it's own"

"Oh not you too" Lindsay sighed "Danny wants another one"

"I like to play now and again" he admitted "Though haven't got the time to justify one at the moment"

"They're death traps" Lindsay replied "Hey look at this" she snapped her gloves on, lifting a white spray bottle down from a shelf, sniffing it warily.

"Spray bottle?" he asked "Same stuff as the vic had on his clothes?"

"Soon find out" she said, placing it in an evidence bag "Plain sight right?"

Don opened a small refrigerator, similar to a beer refrigerator, visibly recoiling "Oh my Gawd!" he exclaimed "That's _no_ way to treat somethin' that should have beer in it!"

"What?!" Lindsay peered around him, interested.

"That's sh..." he started.

"Worm count samples" she told him "Small samples of dung are taken to send away and be tested for worms, all racehorses need a clean bill of health to be allowed on the course"

"Whatever" he replied "It's disgusting. But _this_ could be something"

Taking a glove from her he used it to pick up a small vial "Testosterone" he said, lifting another one "Oestrogen"

"Hmmm" Lindsay held out another evidence bag and he dropped them in.

"Can I help you?" both turned as they heard a voice from the doorway.

"Detectives Flack and Messer" Don flashed his badge "We need to speak with Mr Clare and Miss Dane"

"About Carl?" the woman asked, despite her shabby appearance, she stood tall and proud.

"Yes" Don replied "You are?"

"Lizzy Clare" she replied "Joseph's wife, I'm afraid they are out exercising the horses"

"How long will they be?" Lindsay asked politely "We can wait if it's convenient?"

Lizzie looked at her watch "Should be back fairly soon" she said "What are those things you have?"

"They're evidence Mrs Clare" Lindsay explained "We don't need a warrant as they were in plain sight"

"Take what you want" she shrugged "We have nothing to hide, would you like coffee?"

"Please" Lindsay smiled "If it's not too much trouble"

…...

"Carl Royle" Lizzie told them in the outdated but very clean and homely kitchen "Was the best jockey, but he was also a player, and a self opinionated son of a bitch"

"How do you mean?" Lindsay asked.

"He broke Tommi's heart" she replied "Used her like a piece of rubbish, then to add insult to injury, he jocked her off"

"Excuse me?" Don frowned, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

"It's nothing like what you are thinking Detective" Lizzie laughed "It means that Tommi was riding Star, she was to be his jockey, until Carl breezed in. He came to work for us for a summer" she went on "And stayed, he was responsible for Joseph selling Star"

"What happened?" Lindsay questioned as Don scribbled in his notepad, the groom was looking good for this, his face said it all.

"David Hennessey is his Godfather, he told him about Star, he also told him that we were struggling, financially, and so Hennessey offered to buy Star. It broke Joseph's heart but we had little choice, and at least Star would stay here to be trained. Only problem was that Hennessey wanted Carl to ride the horse, and it worked, he and Star went from strength to strength"

"Which left Tommi out in the cold?" Don said.

"Yes, and he'd already slept with her, along with half of the grooms from other stables" Lizzie replied "But if you're thinking Tommi killed him, she couldn't, she still loved him, I guess that was the reason she stayed, that and Star"

They all looked up as hoofbeats rang out in the stable yard. Don stood.

"Thank you Mrs Clare" he said, folding his notebook into his pocket.

…...

"Well" Lindsay said as they headed back to the city "I'm wanting to talk to Hennessey again"

"You and me both" Don agreed "He obviously had a reason for hiding the fact he is the Godfather of the vic"

"You seein' him as a suspect?" Lindsay asked.

"He has an alibi" Don said "And I don't see motive. There's plenty of motive for Tommi however"

"But she wasn't the one having sex with Royle, I have her DNA" Lindsay pointed out "And her prints on the stable are explained away"

"She has motive, means and opportunity" Don pondered "But I don't know, most of it is circumstantial, and I wanna hear what Hennessey has to say"

"We also need to speak with the rival jockeys" Lindsay added.

…...


	6. Chapter 5

**Star of New York**

Chapter 5

"Hey" Don leaned down to kiss Kate as she sat at the computer "Oh" he stood again.

"One word" she warned looking at him "One word and I will divorce you"

He regarded her silently at first "I think they're sexy" he finally said.

"_How_ can glasses be considered sexy?" she asked, slightly happier at his response.

"You got that kinda, school ma'am look goin' on" he said with a grin.

"I might have known" she rolled her eyes, turning back to the computer.

"Whatchya doin?" he asked.

"Lookin' for a job" she said "I'm quitting ESU"

"You are?" he sounded surprised "I thought you could stay on ESU, just not as a sniper"

"Maybe it's time for a change" she replied "It's either you or the job, and I kinda wanna keep you"

"Good choice" he agreed "So what are you thinking of?"

"Back on the beat" she said "Maybe, I can't _do_ anything else but be a cop"

"But walkin' the beat?" he questioned her "Even as a sergeant, it's tough, you know that"

"Yeah 'cos ESU's a walk in the park" she replied "I'm just looking, see what's out there. CSI's advertising for a lab tech"

"Really?" he asked "CSI?"

"What's wrong with that?" she asked back.

"I have enough with my friends sayin' a whole bunch a stuff I don't understand" he pulled a face "I don't need you startin'"

Kate laughed "I don't think I could anyway" she admitted "It seems kinda boring at times"

"I wouldn't let Mac and the guys hear you say that" he warned.

"This could be something" she said "Training officer"

"Oh my God" he said with mock horror "_You_? Training rookies? You _hate_ puppywalking!"

"I'm thinking about it" she defended "And seriously, _what_ is that smell?!"

"Ah" he backed away slightly "That would be me, investigating a jockey's murder, I'm heading for the shower"

"Ugh" she replied "Put those clothes in the washing machine too, they stink"

"I was just gonna throw them out" he laughed "But at this rate, I'm gonna run outta clothes"

"Could be interesting" she gave him a sly grin "I'm sure you'd get more confessions naked"

"That comment could be considered sexual harassment" he replied with a leer.

Kate looked at him "It was" she laughed.

"Kate?" she looked around again.

"No I'm _not_ washing your back" she said "You stink"

"Oh" he smiled and then was serious again "Are you sure you're OK? You're taking all this far too well"

She shrugged, turning away and back to the computer "I may flip out at a later date" she said.

"Could I have some advance warning?" he joked, realising she wasn't ready just yet "Like the tornado warnings they give?"

"I'll see what I can do" she replied "Now go away, you smell"

He gave her a long look before heading for the shower.

…...

"Hey Flack?" Kate frowned at the steak she took out of the fridge.

"Uh?" Don replied, not looking up from reading the paper.

"What's the date today?"

"Seventeenth" he answered, still engrossed in what he was reading "This is _unbelievable_!" he continued.

"What?" Kate said, rifling through her bag in the hall.

"Some scum bag I arrested a few years ago, and Mac put on death row is having a _movie_ made about his life. I mean where do these guys get off? A movie about a murderer?!" he said, angry.

"There's hundreds of movies about murderers" Kate murmured, her turn to be preoccupied.

"But this guy raped, tortured and killed eight women" he fumed "That we _know_ of, Mac goes through the unsolved cases now and again, trying to tie the guy to a few more"

"I guess he didn't think he was famous enough" she said, staring at the content of her hands.

"Infamous" Don corrected, adding "Asshole" with a snort.

"There is an upside" she said "_Someone_ has to play the dashing Detective that caught him"

"Hmmm" he mused.

"I meant Mac" she paused "Don?" she asked as he turned the page.

"Um?"

"I'm late" she replied.

He looked up "Thought you were off today? Not workin' nights?"

"Not for work" she sighed as he started reading again.

"Hot date?" he asked with a smirk.

"Period" she said, exasperated.

"Excuse me?" this time he looked up.

"My period is late" she said, putting the diary in her hands down.

"Oh" he closed the paper "Are you...?"

"I don't know do I?" she said crossly "I just found out there's a possibility I might be!"

"You think we better find out?" he asked her.

"There's a 24 hour drug store down the block" she sighed, she felt flat, tired "I'll go now, get it over with"

"Not on your own" he said "Let me get dressed"

"You just got in from work" she said "I'll be back in 5 minutes"

"I'm coming" he said, giving her a look that she knew meant he wasn't going to back down.

"That" she shouted after him "Is what got us into this in the first place!"

"I heard that" he shouted back with a small laugh, though he frowned as he dressed, Kate was being way too calm about all of this, losing her job, the possibility of being pregnant, and it worried him.

…...

"What are you doing?!" Mac Taylor demanded of the man currently rifling through Don's desk "Where is Detective Flack?"

"Took the day off, called in last night, personal time" Came the muffled reply "Gerrard told me to fill in for him"

Mac regarded the man for a moment, his mind whirling "And you are?"

"Al Greenwood" the man replied "Cute" he commented as he unearthed a picture "She's pretty"

Mac snatched the picture back, slightly thrown by the identity of the person in the picture, throwing it back into the drawer and slamming it shut "I don't think you need to be searching his desk" he told him "The case file is right _here_" he waved an NYPD folder under his nose.

"Ah" Greenwood didn't even have the grace to look uncomfortable "So you need a _real_ cop on this one?"

Again, Mac regarded him coldly "I have some people to interview, yes" he replied "But we all wear the same badge Detective Greenwood"

"Then let's go" Greenwood stood up "I got my own cases to be workin', don't need to be pickin' up Flack's slack" he grinned at Mac "Oh and look at that, see what I did there? Flack's slack?!"

Mac's fists clenched, but he didn't rise, this time. He did some quick thinking, his original plan had been for he and Don to visit the racetrack and gather more information, but he genuinely felt he may shoot this man if he spent any length of time with him. He decided there were perks to being the boss after all, and he knew just the person to counter this man's attitude with one of their own.

"Meet Detective Messer at the crime lab" he told Greenwood "I want you and he to run down the list of rival jockeys"

"And you'll be?" Greenwood asked.

"Your superior officer still!" Mac replied smartly "Get on with it!"

"Gee!" Greenwood replied "Keep ya panties on!"


	7. Chapter 6

**Star of New York**

Chapter 6

"Well?" Kate asked.

"It's only been a minute" Don replied "Give it time"

"Uh" she muttered "You sure you're looking at it right?"

"I'm not a complete idiot" he grumbled "And if you don't trust me to do it right, then _you_ look"

"I don't want to" she replied sulkily.

"Then shut up" he snapped, they lapsed into silence. Don staring at the little white stick, Kate staring at him.

"Nothing" he frowned.

"I _told_ you you weren't looking at it right!" Kate said darkly "If there's nothing then it hasn't worked"

"I meant" he said with exaggerated patience "One line, not two, nothing, not pregnant"

"Oh" Kate replied, her face blank.

"Oh good or oh bad?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know" she answered "I need to sleep"

"Me too" he sighed, picking up his phone "Or not" he sighed as his cell rang, he gave her a sad smile, which she returned.

"Hey Mac" he sighed.

…...

"An' I thought I was short" Danny quipped as they entered the changing room at the racecourse.

"You're not short" Greenwood replied, a lollypop hanging from his lip "Just vertically challenged"

"You need ta shut up" Danny told him "Hey!" he addressed the room "Detective Danny Messer, this is Detective Greenwood, we need to talk to you all about Carl Royle's death"

"Guy got trampled by his horse" someone said "What's to talk about?"

"He was murdered" Danny said "I can always do this over the the precinct"

"Officers" a man in a suit faced them "These gentlemen are preparing for the next race, they need to concentrate"

"Well my victim is preparing for the next life" Danny replied "I need them to concentrate on _that_. You are?"

"Gary Okaro" the man supplied "A valet"

"These guys got it all huh?" Greenwood said "Whad'you know about Carl Royle?"

"Guy was a legend in the makin'" Okaro replied "A conceited and racist son of a bitch but him and that horse were for the big time"

"See I'm hearin' motive right there" Danny observed "You ever have a run in with him?"

"Several times" Okaro said "But I didn't kill him"

"If you're a valet" Danny said "You'd have had access to his clothes, do these guys spray anything on their clothes? Something to help them or the horse?"

"It has been known" Okaro replied "Usually a prank, it's an old wives tale, doesn't work"

"I guess the whole room's got a motive" Greenwood jumped in "If he was as good as you say"

Danny didn't speak, someone at he back of the room had caught his eye, he watched with practised patience.

"Oh he was good" a jockey piped up "And he knew it, never failed to let everyone else know it either"

"So he have a lot of enemies you'd say?" Greenwood asked.

"Yeah I'd say he did" the man replied.

"I'm gonna need everyone's names" Greenwood said "And a statement"

"Hey!" Danny shouted through the dressing room "NYPD! Stop right there! Freeze!"

The figure he'd been watching darted through a rear door.

Danny started to run "Trust Flack to throw in some personal time when there's runnin' to be done!" he huffed, glancing a look at Greenwood who didn't move.

"Hey Buddy" Greenwood oozed smug "We all wear the same badge, off you go"

Danny took off, darting around jockeys and valets to the rear exit, catching sight of his target melting into the stable area.

"I said stop!" he shouted, running, one hand on his holster.

Following into the gloom of the stables, Danny strained to hear over the foot stomping and snorting of the horses, suddenly one shied to the front of the stable, head raised and eyes wild, following the direction the horse had come from he noticed a pair of feet disappearing into the rafters.

"Easy boy" Danny whispered as he climbed the stable front, the horse whirled, unsure which direction to head for, snorting.

"Nice horsey, don't make me shoot you"

He crawled precariously along the top of the wall that separated the stables, through the narrow ridge he was on, he could feel the pounding of the horses feet through vibrations.

"I hate you Flack" he hissed.

Reaching the gap his mark had crawled through, Danny struggled a little, he was wider than the person he was chasing and he had to ease his shoulders through one at a time, gun poised, as he looked along the roof space. Catching sight of a figure slumped in the gloom he switched on his flashlight.

"Come on" he said "Ain't nowhere to go but down"

…...

"Well Tommi" Danny folded his arms across his chest "You certainly saved us some trouble, we were coming to talk to you when you decided to run for it at the track"

"Oh really?" Tommi Dane replied with sarcasm.

"Yes really" Greenwood said "You see your fingerprints showed up on a bottle of testosterone we found where you work"

"So?" she replied "They would be, I work there, I handle stuff like that all the time"

"They were also on the spray bottle we found" Danny pointed out "And we _know_ you got motive to kill Carl"

"You have no idea what you are talking about!" She suddenly exploded.

Danny sat down "Then enlighten me" he said.

"No!" she yelled "You can do what you like!"

Danny looked at Greenwood, thinking that right now, he'd quite like to give Flack a piece of his mind for leaving him with this useless jerk when they broke the case, the two way 'Good Cop Bad Cop' between him and Don was old and practised and it worked for the most part. Danny didn't feel Greenwood had his back, he didn't feel comfortable playing either role. He wanted Mac.

"Then we'll leave you to have a think about it" Danny stood, looking at Tommi "Maybe a few hours in a cell will loosen your tongue"

…...

"You seen Mac?" Danny stuck his head into the lab.

"No" Lindsay frowned back "I tried to call and update him but he's not answering his cell"

"Hawkes?" he asked, _anyone_ was better than Greenwood, and Lindsay was swamped.

"Same" she said "What d'you thinks going on Danny?" she asked him.

"What?" he asked, distracted.

"First Flack goes on personal, I mean _Flack_" she said, warming to her theme "Then Mac keeps disappearing and not being contactable, and now they tell me Hawkes got a call and shot out the building. With Jo on vacation leave, that leaves me, you and Adam to run the investigation!"

"Don't forget the ever charming Detective Greenwood" Danny grimaced.

"Humph!" Lindsay replied "You think we should call Jo?"

"No-oo" Danny replied "She's on vacation, spending time with her kids, none of us do that enough, and anyway, we're both level III CSI's, we can deal"

"If you say so" she didn't look convinced "But if I don't hear from Mac by the end of the day, I'm calling Jo"

"It'll all be good" Danny told her, again, distracted "I promise babe"

"Hmmmm"Lindsay replied speculatively at his departing back.

…...

"Er Hi" Kate looked awkwardly at the man sitting at her husbands desk "Who are you?"

"Oh Hi" he smiled back "Al Greenwood, _Detective_ Al Greenwood, how can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Flack" she replied, slightly amused that this guy obviously thought the word detective would impress her "He's usually sitting right there" she pointed to Greenwood, comfortable in Don's chair.

"Oh, he's taken the day off" Greenwood schmoozed "Maybe I can help?"

"Day off?" she frowned "He didn't tell me"

"I'm sorry" Greenwood said "I didn't catch your name"

"Flack" she said, looking him square in the eye "_Sergeant_ Kate Flack, his wife"

"Oh, sorry" Greenwood sat straighter "I didn't recognise you"

Kate was wrong footed for a moment "Why would you?" she asked "We've never met"

"I just assumed that the woman with the badge was you" he replied with a shrug.

"What woman?" she asked, a slight edge to her voice.

"In the picture" he replied "Never mind, my bad"

…...

_A/n – Updates may be more sporadic now I'm back at the grindstone! Hope you continue to enjoy :) And as usual, this story appears to be taking on a life of it's own..._


	8. Chapter 7

**Star of New York**

Chapter 7

"You sure?" Don asked quietly "You sure it was him?"

"I'm sure" Mac said grimly, straightening from the decomposed body before them "DNA will confirm if there's enough left, but it's his signature all right"

"Why now Mac?" Hawkes asked him, anger and fear mixing on his face.

"Because he wants something from us" Mac replied "He wants our accounts of how we caught him"

"For some Hollywood feature film!" Don ground out "This don't sit right with me Mac"

"I know that Don" Mac replied "But these women, their families, they deserve this"

Don shook his head, unable to reply, turning away and trying to get a grip on his emotions.

"What exactly does he want?" Hawkes asked, also standing up from his preliminary examination of the body.

"In return for our accounts" Mac replied "He will give up three more victims, one for each of us. Maybe four if Stella will also come up here and give her account"

"But that's it?!" Don demanded "Just four? Are there others? And that asshole gets to decide which bodies we find? He's playing us Mac!"

"I don't know Don" Mac said truth evident in his tone "But if it were your sister, your mother, your wife, wouldn't you want to know? Wouldn't you grab at the tiniest bit?"

"That's not fair Mac" Don said shortly.

"I know that" Mac replied "But if we can give even one family closure, isn't it worth it?!"

"And what about the others Mac?" Don demanded "What about their closure?"

"He's given us one" Mac said "As an act of good faith, if we all give our accounts and let this go ahead, then we get four more, which is five. Five women found, five families finally able to move on"

"Good faith?!" Hawkes said, shocked "Craig Lewes doesn't know the meaning of it! He's using us!"

"Yes he is" Mac agreed "But the ends justify the means"

"And what if he's lying?" Hawkes said "What if this is just a game, you give your account and then he just laughs at us? Who's getting closure then?"

"Then he only gets one account" Mac said "And we all watch him fry"

"This is sick Mac" Don said "That guy has raped and killed _nine_ women that we found now, and now he suddenly decides he wants to play ball?"

"It's all we got" Mac said "I have to go back and see him today, with your answers, are you in or out?"

"He's callin' the shots?!" Don exclaimed.

"No" Mac replied "We just let him think he is"

"OK" Sheldon said thoughtfully "I'm in, if he gives us another one after you talk to him, I will too"

"Thank you Sheldon" Mac looked at Don "Don?"

Don rubbed the back of his neck with his hand "I don't like it Mac" he said "But OK. If he comes good with you two, I'll do it"

"Thank you" Mac said, relief evident, he'd known Don would be hard to persuade, his morals were outraged and he had a hard time dealing with that "We need to keep this with us three, and Stella. No one else can know about it. As far as the rest of the team are concerned, this is a Jane Doe murdered by an unknown perp. Sheldon, you and I will work the case in the lab and we'll assist you" he looked at Don "As we can. At the time of this, us three worked it with Stella, Danny and Aiden were on a different case and Adam and Lindsay weren't here"

"OK" Don nodded slowly, after what he'd already agreed to, this seemed a small sacrifice "I'll do it, send me the details when you know who she is, I'll do the notification"

…...

"So" Danny leaned across the table "You ready to talk?"

"I already told you" Tommi looked rebellious "It's not what you think"

"Then tell me" Danny said "Or I'm going to have Detective Greenwood charge you with murder"

"I didn't kill him!" Tommi snapped.

"But you doped the horse no?!" Danny answered "And you sprayed Carl's clothes? No one batted an eyelid at you in that changing room, you also had motive to do it, you now have the horse of the century to race, your big break"

"No!" she replied again.

"Then _what_ Tommi?" Danny said, suddenly calm, it was hard work being good cop _and_ bad cop, but it beat having to look at Greenwoods face "I'm ready to listen here"

"Carl was the one doping the horse!" she finally broke "I've known for ages"

"Convenient" Danny observed "As he's not here to refute that statement"

"He was!" she said "I couldn't report him! Star would be banned from racing and we'd all be investigated! Joseph can't afford that!"

"So you killed him?" Danny asked "To protect everyone else?"

"No!" she cried "I just found him! I couldn't kill him, I loved him!"

"Yeah" Danny gave her a cruel smile "And he used you, like he did everyone else"

"He did" she admitted quietly "But I didn't kill him"

"Then who did?" Danny pressed.

"I don't know" she sighed, defeated "I just found him"

"But you did spike his clothes right?" Danny grinned "Good idea, the great Romeo get more than he bargained for with a horny horse?"

"It doesn't work" Tommi sighed again "The spray, it's an old wives tale. Joseph uses things like that, but they don't work, but no, I didn't spray his clothes. It was probably another jock, for a joke"

"Is that so?" Danny steepled his fingers, weighing her up, maybe against his better judgement, he believed her.

…...

"Who is she?" Kate asked teasingly as Don came through to the bedroom.

"Who?" Don replied, not really concentrating.

"The woman you keep in your desk?" she asked with a grin "That where you spent your _personal_ time today?!"

"What?!" he looked at her with an expression that killed her grin instantly.

"The picture" she explained "In your desk, at work"

"What are you doing going through my desk?" he demanded. Kate backed up slightly, she'd seen that fury in him before. She never had and never would be scared of him, but when he was this angry with her, it was usually justified, this took her unawares.

"I didn't!" she defended "Some Detective Greenwood was filling in for you, he told me"

"Right" he said fists clenched "Greenwood"

"Yeah" she frowned at him "Where were you today? I went to work to see you and they said you had taken a personal day"

"I did" he said, arms folded.

"And?" she prompted.

"And what?" he shot back haughtily "I'm not allowed some time off?"

"Don..." Kate was perplexed, she watched him as he glared at his phone, reading the message that had bleeped through.

"What?" he said again, snapping it shut "I took a day off, I don't have to tell you everything I do"

"Okay!" Kate finally bit, he wanted an argument, he was going to get one "I'm only your _wife_!"

"Oh here we go" he said, sarcasm dripping from every word "Tantrum time"

"What?!" she rounded on him "Are you having an affair?!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" he yelled "Just because I do something without you I'm screwing another woman?!"

"Well your reaction is kinda weird!" she yelled back "Who is she, in the picture? If you have nothing to hide, then tell me"

"I shouldn't have to" he yelled "You should trust me"

"You're makin' that pretty damned hard right now!" she yelled back "Sneaking off and you won't tell me where, pictures of mystery women in your desk!"

"I'm not doing this right now" he pulled his jacket on "I have somewhere to be"

"Good job the test was negative then huh?!" Kate yelled as the front door slammed.


	9. Chapter 8

**Star of New York**

Chapter 8

Kate bit back the tears as she packed a bag. Never, ever, did she think it would end like this. She'd never thought it _would_ end at all she realised. She'd taken him for granted, and he'd gone elsewhere. She hadn't showed him enough times how she felt, hadn't said how much he meant to her enough times, and now it was too late.

She looked around before she left, trying not to imagine some unseen mystery woman here, in _their_ home. The place they'd really and truly fallen in love, the place she'd thought they'd start a family, and have to move from when it got too crowded.

She walked, avoiding getting run over and bumping into people on auto pilot. Her feet took her to Central Park.

_The place where all this started_, she could remember him saying that, their first Christmas together, when he made her go ice skating.

She stared into space, ignoring her cell as it rang and rang. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She had nothing left. The job she loved and thrived on was no more, and her marriage was over.

…...

Don kept hitting redial, leaving increasingly more agitated messages. He had just done something he hated, having to tell a family, a father, that his daughter was dead, after all this time. The look on the man's face was something he always found hard. More so because for a brief half an hour, he'd come face to face with the real possibility that he could become a father, how easy it was for that to happen. He needed Kate, he needed to see her, for her to make him laugh, ease the tension he felt at this situation. But she wasn't there.

"Kate for God's sake!" he left a final message "Stop being a stubborn bitch and call me, or come home, or at least let me know you're OK! I _will_ trace your phone if you don't"

He threw the cell onto the sofa, punching the wall. He rubbed at his knuckles, he knew he'd overreacted when she'd approached him but it'd taken him by surprise. Being honest, he'd forgotten about the picture.

He never thought she'd leave him, they had had much worse arguments than this, and apart from the one time, neither of them had even slept in the spare room.

Well, this wasn't going to happen like this, he decided, he wasn't going to let her get away with overreacting like this. He refused to let it. He still had this damned Lewes case hanging over him...

…...

"So what's the plan partner?" Greenwood sauntered into the lab, the lollipop hanging from his lip in residence once again.

"For one" Danny glared at him "I ain't your partner" he snatched the lollipop away "And for two, no eating in the lab"

"Okay buddy" Greenwood grinned at him "Whatever you say"

Danny curled his top lip in disgust, turning away. Looking up in disbelief as Don, Sheldon and Mac became visible through the glass window to the room.

"Hey!" he banged on the window "What the hell is going on?!"

"You sonofabitch!" Danny looked startled at Don's reaction initially, then had to force himself to get between him and Greenwood, he had no idea what Flack's problem was, but he was tempted to let Greenwood get flattened.

"Woah there Flack!" Greenwood stepped back "Easy buddy!"

"Where do you get off searchin' my desk?!" Don demanded, trying to push past Danny.

"Just tryin' to get up to speed!" Greenwood defended "Sorry if I caused a problem"

"Don!" Mac interjected "My office!"

Don glared at Greenwood "I ain't done with this!" he warned before following Mac from the lab.

"What the hell is going on?!" Danny repeated to Hawkes.

"Beats me" Sheldon shrugged, but could not meet Danny's eyes "We just got called out to a Jane Doe"

"Flack's supposed to be on personal time" Danny said "_We_ shoulda got that call"

"All I know man" Sheldon replied as he escaped Danny's probing gaze for the safety of autopsy.

…...

"Don!" Mac closed the door to his office "I need you focused on this"

"Right" Don glared through the window.

"What was all that about?" Mac asked, he knew his friend and colleague well enough to know that this wasn't just the Craig Lewes case, or that Greenwood had violated his personal space.

"That bastard" he spat the word "Told Kate somethin', somethin' she didn't need to know, and now combined with me takin' today off, she thinks I'm havin' an affair, she's left me"

"The picture of Jess?" Mac asked quietly "In your desk?"

"You too?!" Don stared in disbelief.

"I caught him" Mac admitted "Kate has a problem with that picture?"

"No, maybe" Don said "I don't actually know because I didn't tell her who it was, he just told her about it, she didn't see it"

"Don" Mac sat down, giving him a long look "Your marriage is your own business, but what I know of Kate, she wouldn't hold that picture against you. That said, I need you on the ball for this, if you need to speak with Kate then go"

"I don't even know where she is" Don admitted "But I'm good, I'll be OK, let's just get this Lewes case sorted out"

"If you're sure?" Mac checked.

"I am" Don told him, meeting his eye.

…...

"I dunno what you did" Danny told Greenwood "But I sure..." he was cut off by Greenwoods phone ringing.

"Greenwood?" he answered "Uh-huh" he waited "Yup" he listened again "On my way"

He cancelled the call, grinning at Danny "We got someone at the precinct wanting to confess to murder" he said.

"Oh great" Danny replied, removing his lab coat "Just great"

…...

"I am telling you" Joseph Clare said "I killed Carl"

"How?" Danny asked suspiciously, leaning back in his chair.

"With a horse shoe" Joseph said "I caught him doping the horse and I hit him"

"Where did you get it from?" Danny asked.

"It was lying about" Clare shrugged "Does it matter?"

"Yes it does" Greenwood said "If you're trying to cover for your groom"

"It wasn't Tommi!" Clare protested "It was me! I hit him with the shoe, I didn't mean to kill him, but I soon realised it had, so I left him there, I hoped people would think the horse did it"

"What did you do with the shoe?" Danny quizzed him, leaning forward.

"I got rid of it"

"Where?" Greenwood asked with a grin "Which roof?"

Glaring briefly at Greenwood, Danny leaned back again. He was professional enough not to show cracks whilst interrogating a suspect, but he was seriously staring to despise the man. Though it was a valid question, it had also been Danny's trump card.

"I...I don't remember" Clare replied "Look, I have confessed, what more do you want?!"

"I want the truth" Danny said "And I don't think what you are tellin' me is" he nodded to Greenwood to step outside "I'll be back"

"Hey there Terminator!" Greenwood rounded on him "Whatcha doin'? We got a confession, and a case wrapped, let's get on it!"

"Shut up!" Danny said through clenched teeth "I swear, you don't shut up _I'll_ be the one confessing to murder, you stupid bastard! You just blew that well and truly!"

"Steady there CSI!" Greenwood held up his hands "I could take offence at that!"

Danny stepped into his face "GO AWAY!" he said, ignoring the uniform that stepped over, sensing trouble "You've managed to piss a lot of people off today, so seriously, get outta my face before I do somethin' I regret!"

"Danno, buddy, leave it" He heard Don's voice beside him "He's not worth it"

"You changed your tune" Danny said without looking away "Half an hour ago, you tried to knock his head off"

"Trust me Danny" Flack replied "It's all good, I'm back on my case, he's back on his. Let it go"

Danny stepped back "You say so" he shrugged, both men watching Greenwood walk away.

…...


	10. Chapter 9

**Star of New York**

Chapter 9

"Did you find what you were looking for Detective Taylor?"

Mac looked at the man before him, a man that had terrorised the women of New York and given him and the members of his team many sleepless nights. He could recall the day they caught him, how he'd manipulated them all. How himself, Sheldon and Don had been about Stella working the case, that they had come to a unanimous but unspoken pact that Stella would not be near him alone, that it was too much to ask. He'd latched onto Stella, and refused to talk to anyone but her, watching, standing back, they could all see how he'd lured his victims.

Mac sighed, Craig Lewes was an attractive and well spoken man in his 30's with a good education, he'd also had a good job. With a sideline in rape, torture and murder.

He could remember Don almost losing it, he'd been a lot younger and he was never the calmest person when someone gave them the run around.

_'Admiring my work?' Lewes had commented as Don was collecting piles and piles of school exercise books, each with the names of victims on the front. _

_'Work?!" Don had faced him, and for a moment, even Lewes thought he was going to hit him._

_'It would be pointless to try and work me out Detective, I have many layers, and many reasons for what I do'_

_'Did.' don had pointed out 'I don't care if your mother didn't hug you enough, or if your Daddy left. Those women were **people**! You raped them, and then tortured them and then killed them, and now you gloat about it!'_

_'I had a good relationship with my parents Detective Flack' Lewes had replied calmly 'Though your outburst leads me to think yours was less than successful' _

_'Get him outta my face!' Don had shoved Lewes at a uniformed officer, a male one, bypassing the two female officer that were closer._

"I asked you a question Detective Taylor" Lewes smiled at him.

"We found a body" Mac confirmed.

"So you know that I am serious" Lewes replied "Are you willing to hold your end of the deal?"

"I will" Mac replied "But I want the information _first_, that I will relay to my team, when they have found a body, then we talk"

"That wasn't my offer Detective" Lewes smiled still.

"Well it's mine" Mac stood to leave "Take it or leave it, either way, I will still be there, to watch you pay for what you did"

…...

"You look like shit" Danny told Don as they entered the lab "Kate still playing truant?"

"Yup" Don sighed "But I know where she is, she's kept her phone on, I traced her to a hotel, she signed in under her own name. She _wants_ me to find her"

"I told Jo there'd be fireworks" Danny smirked, rearranging his face as he saw Don's expression "Sorry, wrong time"

"Kinda" Don replied.

"Can I do anything?" Danny asked.

"Tell me you have some evidence, something, _anything_ that means I can charge someone with Carl Royle's murder?" Don asked.

"I'm afraid I don't" Danny replied "Everything we have is circumstantial. The Godfather is in the clear, the groom looks guilty as hell and the trainer has confessed even though I'm pretty damn sure he's covering for the groom"

"Anyone else in the frame?" Don asked, picking at his sleeve.

"Couple of jockey's were" Danny said "Turns out one of them sprayed his clothes as a joke. Royle _was_ doping the horse, Lindsay and I flipped his apartment and found more testosterone and syringes"

"So the trainer _could_ have a motive" Don mused "If he caught the horse being doped?"

"I guess so" Danny said "Looks like both him and the groom had motive, but unless they're having an affair, why would he cover for her?"

"That's what we're going to find out" Don handed him his jacket "I had to cut Tommi loose, we gotta get the trainer to talk"

…...

"I'm just not buying it Joseph" Don said "That you killed your jockey, it doesn't make any sense"

"He was doping my horse" Joseph replied "It makes perfect sense"

"Why not just fire him?" Danny asked.

"And risk the horse being banned for life?" Joseph exclaimed "No, no way. That horse is worth too much money"

"See, I don't get that either" Don mused "You aren't that sort of person, you strike me as the sort that would stop at nothing to make sure your horses were OK. No" he looked at him "I think you found out that Tommi killed him, I think she came to you and told you what he was doing to the horse, and then you decided to take the fall for her. It's the why I can't work out"

"An affair is always good motive, no?" Danny asked.

"I am not having an affair with Tommi!" Joseph said hotly "She's like a daughter to Lizzie and I!"

"I've known stranger things happen" Danny observed.

"Don't be so disgusting" Joseph spat.

"OK" Don stood up "I have" he looked at his watch "Another 12 hours before I have to charge or release you. Take a long hard think about what you're doing, and I'll be back to continue our conversation"

Danny followed Don from the room and to his desk.

"Whatch'ya think?" Danny asked.

"Covering for the groom" Don said.

"Me too, but what can we do? He had motive, means and opportunity" Danny sat heavily against Don's desk.

"Find something that ties Tommi to the murder" Don said.

"I'll go back to the evidence" Danny sighed "I'll get Lindsay on it too, what you gonna do?"

"Try and save my marriage in my lunch hour" Don gave a humourless laugh.

Danny returned his wry smile "Good luck buddy"

…...

Kate jumped as someone banged on the door of the hotel room, well, she had a pretty good idea who _someone_ was actually.

"Hello" she said as she opened the door "Took longer than I thought it would"

"Oh I'm terribly sorry!" Don replied, scanning the room.

"So?" she closed the door and leaned against it.

"So what?" he shot back "You wanted me to find you, and you know you did. Kept your phone on, signed in under your own name"

She shrugged "Maybe I did"

"Been a lot easier if you'd just come home" he said.

"Room for three?" she asked tightly.

"Oh for Gods sake!" he said through well gritted teeth "Just stop with the affair stuff, you know I would never do that, you know me well enough to know that Kate"

"Doesn't change the fact that you've been hiding stuff from me, and lying to me" she accused.

"All right" he said grudgingly "I get the message. How do you know that picture isn't Sam? Or my Mom?"

"Because it's Angell" she levelled him with her eyes, and then looked slightly ashamed "I worked it out about 5 minutes after I calmed down"

"Does it bother you?" he asked.

"No" she replied.

"Then come home" he sighed.

"I don't know" her shoulders sagged, she did know, she just didn't want to give in.

"If it doesn't bother you, me having a picture of Jess, then what's the problem?" he asked "Do you want me to get rid of it? You just don't want to ask?"

"No" she looked thoughtful "It's yours, your past, and you have to do what feels right. It's not up to me to demand you get rid of it, or do anything with it. Being with her, everything that happened, made you who you are today"

He shrugged.

"It's the rest of it" she said "Sneaking around and stuff. God, I thought that your moods could be bad, but never like _that_. You nearly took my head off when I asked about the picture, and where you'd been. I wasn't prying, I wasn't keeping tabs on you, I was just... I dunno, interested. It was a conversation, or supposed to be. I didn't know it was such a big deal. Thought you'd been out with Sam or your Dad or something! But you just exploded. _Of course_ I was going to think there was something going on"

"OK" he stood as his phone started to ring, cancelling the call he looked at her "There is something, but right now, I don't wanna talk about it. I have a picture of Jessica Angell in my desk that I kept because... well just because. There I've said it, you're right, I _should_ have said it when you asked me and I'm sorry. But you couldn't have just waited until I got home and we woulda yelled, and then ended up in bed? Like we always do? Why did you leave? There's more to this than you're admitting to too Kate. It kinda hurts that you don't trust me, or that you're so quick to give up"

"I'm not!" her head shot up, eyes wide "I'm not giving up!"

"Then why are we standing in a hotel room, discussing the future of our marriage?! Two days ago we were both excited to think we might be having a baby, and talking about trying for one and now..." he demanded, cancelling another call.

"But we're not are we?!" she fought back tears "I did what I always do and threw a tantrum and walked out, I wanted to come back, but I just..." she faltered as she angrily wiped away a tear.

"You wanted me to find you and beg you to come home?" he said "Well you got your way, again. Well done. When you stop behaving like a child I'll be at home"

He pushed past her, reaching for the door. Kate watched, her pride and stubbornness fighting with the knowledge that she'd hurt him, and needed to make it right before it really was too late.


	11. Chapter 10

**Star of New York**

Chapter 10

"Don?!" Kate caught him on the hotel stairs.

He turned slowly, eyebrows raised, regarding her with suspicion.

"Can I grovel my way outta this one?" she asked, her chin high in a way that made him smile slightly. It was typical Kate, an apology and a challenge at the same time.

"I hope so" he replied with a sigh "House is kinda quiet without you, and tidy"

"Dinner?" she asked coyly.

"And the rest" he laughed quietly "You owe me _big time_ Krazy"

"I know" she leaned against the wall, folding her arms "It's only been two days"

"You make a lotta mess in two days" he started slowly up the stairs "And a lotta noise"

"Can we do this?" she asked, suddenly unsure, unguarded.

"Yes we can" he said with conviction, reaching her and standing close, but not touching "You come home and we can"

"I'm coming home" she was challenging again "I always was. You were right, I was being an idiot"

"Yes you were" he leaned closer "It's a good job I love you"

She smiled, reaching out and taking his hand, looking at it "I'm sorry"

"Me too" he said, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you" she said quietly, he lifted her chin, she reluctantly met his eyes.

"I know you do" he said "That's why this is gonna be fine, because we love each other"

She cupped his face with her hand, kissing him lightly "I'll see you tonight" she said.

"You better" he warned "Or I'm comin' back over here and I'll carry you home if I have to"

"Might be worth waiting for" she said with a sly smile.

…...

"You talk to Lewes?" Don asked Mac as they walked into the coffee shop near the lab.

"I did" Mac confirmed "I changed his terms slightly"

"Two coffee's" Don addressed the waitress, the turned back to Mac "How so?"

"I told him that I want the information on the bodies _first_. That when we have established it's true, what he says, we, or at least I, will talk" Mac said.

"How he take that?" Don smiled his thanks at the waitress when she put their coffee down, noticing her returning smile and eye contact was slightly prolonged.

"Not good" Mac said "But he'll play ball, this is a game to him, and he wants to win, he'll still get what he wants"

"What _exactly_ is that though Mac?!" Don asked, suddenly irritated.

"Fame?" Mac shrugged "I honestly don't know, maybe he wants to clear his conscience before he dies? I don't care much for his motives to be honest, I just want to find those girls"

"That guy doesn't _have_ a conscience" Don growled "He's a psychopath"

"In the true sense of the word" Mac agreed "It bothers me too Don, I'm going back today"

"I know it does" Don sighed "You're just better at handling it than me"

"You're straight Don" Mac told him with a smile "As straight up as they come, and I admire that. Sometimes I wish I could see things so simply"

"You sayin' I'm simple?" Don asked with a half smile.

Mac returned his smile "I'm sayin' you're a great cop, that it's your sense of right and wrong that _makes_ you a great cop"

"Thank you" Don replied sincerely "Sometimes I think I need to take more time and think things through, look before I leap"

Mac smiled "And sometimes your first call is the best"

…...

Don sighed as his cell rang, intercepting the look he received from Danny.

"Flack" he said, listening without comment for almost two minutes.

Danny shuffled, picking at his sleeve, cracking his knuckles, watching the tech's going about their day through the glass in the lab.

"OK, thanks" Don hung up, looking at Danny "Can you take Lindsay?" he asked.

"Why?" Danny suddenly stilled "I thought you were back on this Flack?! I thought you were coming with me to speak to the trainers wife?"

"I got a Jane Doe" Don said quietly.

"Then I'll come with you" it wasn't an offer Don realised as Danny squared to him, arms folded "We can question Lizzie Clare later"

"I'm takin' Hawkes" he said "You stay with this"

"What the fuck is goin' on here Don?!" Danny suddenly exploded "You, Mac, Hawkes, you all keep disappearing, leavin' me and Lindsay with all the leg work!"

"I'm sorry Messer" he certainly looked it right then, full of remorse "I really am, but I gotta take this"

"Yeah!" Danny shouted after him as Don left "I'll sort it out huh? No 'I' in team right?!"

…...

"Mrs Clare" Lindsay leaned across the table, trying to re-establish the rapport she'd felt they had when she'd questioned her with Flack before "I'm sorry to ask this of you, but what was the nature of your husband's relationship with Tommi?"

"Employer!" Lizzie Clare looked shocked "Why?!"

"Because we have a tonne of evidence against Tommi for killing Carl Royle" Danny said impatiently "And then your husband comes in and _confesses_ to the murder himself, _why_ would he do that?!" Danny asked, ignoring Lindsay's sigh of indignance.

"I have no idea" she said shakily "Tommi is really... I mean you think she did it?"

"We are just trying to get the facts" Lindsay replied "We don't think your husband did it, but a confession is strong evidence, the DA may decide to go ahead with a trial, or they may decide that we charge Tommi, or both of them. We need the truth Lizzie, and quickly"

"All I can tell you" she stared out of the window "Is that they weren't having an affair"

"With all due respect" Danny stood "I have a warrant to search these premises, so I'm gonna believe the evidence!"

He stalked out of the kitchen, leaving Lindsay to apologise on his behalf.

…...

"That showed _no_ respect Danny!" Lindsay stormed as they looked around the small and cramped trailer that Tommi inhabited "Due or otherwise!"

"Oh c'mon Linds!" Danny fumed "_Everyone's_ lyin' here. We gotta put the pressure on to get the results"

"Don't take your bad mood out on me!" Lindsay snapped "Or the witnesses!"

"I'm not!" he snapped back "I'm just tryin' to solve the case, without half the team may I add!"

"Oh just you right?!" Lindsay gritted her teeth "Well Danny, I hate to break it to you, but _I_ am the higher ranking officer here, and therefore what I say goes!"****

"Oh great!" he said throwing his hands in the air "Then _you_ sort this mess out honey, because I'm done with being given the run around by everyone!"

"That's it isn't it?" Lindsay asked "You're pissed because Don and Mac and Hawkes won't let you in on their little secret?!"

"Yeah" he deflated as quickly as he had angered "I'm sorry" he paused "I'm sorry babe, I didn't mean to take it out on you"

"They'll have a reason Danny" she said quietly "You know that"

"I know" he rubbed his hand over his face "Ahhh! Come on, let's show them what team Messer can do huh?!"

She returned his grin, looking out of the grimy window of the trailer.

"You see what I see?" She asked Danny.

"An old horse?" he stood beside her, looking over the paddock "And a lame one?"

"He's not lame" Lindsay said "He's footsore, he's lost a shoe, look"

She pointed as the horse walked away from them, his gait uneven, as each foot lifted in turn, she pointed out the foot devoid of a metal shoe "There!"

…...

_**** I don't know if that's actually true, but I _think_ that she may technically outrank Danny as he was taken off the promotion grid for CSI by Mac. I do know they're both level III CSI's which would make them equal but I needed Lindsay to call him out on his behaviour._


	12. Chapter 11

**Star of New York**

Chapter 11

Mac answered the call on the first ring "Taylor"

"She's there" Don told him "Right where he said she'd be"

"Thanks Don" Mac said, hanging up.

"I'll go through now" he told the prison guard.

…...

"Ah hello Don!" Sid beamed "Are we any closer on finding the perpetrator of the crime?"

Flack frowned at him a moment, his thoughts elsewhere.

"The jockey? Carl Royle?" Sid asked.

"Oh right" Don replied "Still ongoing Sid"

"I feared as much" Sid grimaced.

"Sorry Sid" he apologised _It's all I seem to do right now!_ He thought angrily "Have you seen Hawkes?"

"He's over there" Sid pointed to screened off area "I must say, highly irregular being _banned_ from parts of my own autopsy suite!"

"Yeah" Don said "Sorry about that too" _Here I go again!_

He left the confused ME and headed for the screens, feeling like all he seemed to do at the moment, was piss everyone off.

"Hi" Hawkes said, preoccupied with the decaying corpse before him.

"Anything?" Don asked.

"Definitely Lewes" Hawkes replied "His signature, a lot of decomp but enough left to tell that. I ran her DNA, she's in missing persons"

"Well that's something" Don replied, picking up the missing persons report "I'll go speak to her family"

"I don't envy you that" Hawkes replied "Dealing with victims families is the worst part of this job"

"I know" Don looked at the figure on the table and then back to the picture "It sucks"

"Want some company?" he asked "I'm about done here"

"Sure" Don smiled his thanks at Hawkes. _I'm getting' soft in my old age_, he thought.

…...

Don approached the steps to his home wearily. Slightly cheered by the lights on even at a late hour and the thought that Kate, hopefully in grovel mode, would provide a warm welcome. After the last few days, he realised he needed that, he needed _her_.

He wandered through to the kitchen, opening his mail that Kate had stacked on the hall table. Suddenly he was engulfed in a bear hug.

"I'm sorry" she whispered "I'm so sorry"

"OK" he smiled at her "Who are you and what have you done with my wife?!"

She laughed back, wrinkling her nose at him "I missed you" she defended.

"I missed you too" he said "But can I take my coat off?!"

"Oh" she let go "Sorry"

"Hey" he noticed her expression of disappointment and kissed her "It was a great way to be greeted after the day I've had"

"Good" she said smugly "I also cooked"

"Smells good" he said, following her to the kitchen.

He came up behind as she set out plates and utensils saying "I thought I'd get adventurous, chicken"

"I meant" he put his arms around her waist, kissing her neck "You, not the food"

"Oh" she stopped "Oh"

He laughed "Speechless" he quipped "Well wha'd'ya know?!"

"Oh shhhh" she said, elbowing him lightly "What you got in the bag?"

"Hmmm" he released her, offering it to her "My turn to grovel" he smiled.

She opened it, seeing wine and chocolates "Good start" she said cheekily "We quits now?"

"I guess so" he said, frowning as she pushed his arms away and continued to serve food.

"I'm hungry" she explained "Been waiting for you for ages"

"Sorry" he said "Dammnit!"

Kate froze, looking at him "What?" she said carefully.

"All I've done is say sorry, recently, to everyone" he sighed "Sorry for your loss, sorry I'm being a bad colleague, friend, husband!"

"Hey!" she put the plates down, resting her hands on his tense shoulders "You are _not_ a bad husband, or colleague, or friend!"

"Feels like it" he huffed "I jus' keep gettin' it all wrong!"

"Well, listen to me" she ordered "I _know_ about these things, you are my best friend, in every sense of the word, and you are a _great_ friend to others too, always. You're _my_ husband, and _I'll_ decide whether you're good or bad thank you. And you're a great cop, you know that"

"I feel bad" he sat down heavily, looking at her "I'm uh, into something with Mac, something that we _have_ to keep quiet for now, and I know it's upsetting everyone. You, Danny, Lindsay, Sid...I don't like tension"

"It's not upsetting me" she said, putting a plate in front of him "Any more" she amended "I guess I can share you with Mac"

He smiled "Danny's livid" he said "I hate makin' him feel like this"

"So" Kate said, sitting opposite him "Tell him what you just told me, sure he's a bit hot headed, but he'll understand"

"I hope so" he sighed "I might see if he wants to grab a beer later"

Kate put her knife and fork down and glared at him.

"Tomorrow!" he laughed "I'll ask him tomorrow"

"Good" she said "I'm not as hungry as I thought I was" she commented pushing the plate away "I'm gonna go to bed"

"You OK?" he asked.

"Tired" she shrugged "Maybe comin' down with something, don't be long" she grinned.

Half an hour later Don went into the bedroom, Kate was flat out, sprawled across the bed asleep. He nudged her over as slid in beside her, putting an arm around her waist. He was too glad she was home to feel much disappointment.

…...

"Danny!" Lindsay called as he trudged past the glass doors "**Danny!**"

"Yeah?" he did a u turn, coming into the lab "You got somethin'?"

"The shoe" Lindsay said urgently "The murder weapon, it matches that horse, the old one. The cast we made of the foot is an exact match"

"Yeah, that was fun" he commented dryly "Makin' that"

He looked at the computer as Lindsay ran the programme, showing a 3D model of the shoe that killed Carl Royle matching the horses foot perfectly.

"So what now?" he asked her "Still doesn't tell us who took it off, took it to the race track and then walloped the jockey with it"

"I have Adam running DNA to confirm that the shoe definitely came from the horse" she said "But it'll match, and looking at the horses foot, I'd say no one _took_ it off, that the horse lost the shoe. Looks like he pulled it off by standing on the back of it with his back foot, over reaching it's called"

"I'm not gonna pretend I understood that" Danny said with a wry grin "I'm jus' gonna nod and agree"

"Good choice" Lindsay said "Thing is, we been lookin' at this as a crime of passion, of opportunity. This changes that, that shoe was taken to the race course. That points to pre meditation. I can't think of _any_ reason why that shoe would be at the race track when it was cast in the field at the farm"

"Well you are the expert" Danny told her "What you thinkin'? The groom?"

"I don't know" Lindsay mused "I know all the evidence points to her, but somehow, I just don't think so"

"The trainer?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"Again, no" she said.

"So we're outta suspects" he sighed.

"Not quite" Lindsay said "That old horse, I saw a picture of Lizzie Clare riding it in their kitchen. I think it's her old horse"

"You're thinkin' the wife?" he leaned onto the table "But she wasn't there, at the track"

"We only have her word for that" Lindsay pointed out "And we were all so focussed on the other suspects, we never considered her"

"But why?" Danny queried "What motive?"

"The same as the trainer!" Lindsay replied, excitement in her tone "Listen, the jockey is doping the horse, which puts it at risk of being disqualified right? The groom finds out, but keeps her mouth shut. I don't think the trainer _did_ find out, not until after. I think the wife did, and she killed him to protect her husband and the business. Without that horse, they _all _go under"

"Kinda makes sense" Danny agreed "But we can't put it in her hand, or her at the track"

"We gotta go back out there" Lindsay said "Look at her car, her boots, see if we _can_ place her there"

…...


	13. Chapter 12

**Star of New York**

****_Continuing to post whilst the PC continues to work... :)_

Chapter 12

"Right that's it" Don said half lifting Kate from the bathroom floor.

"No!" she groaned "I can't go back to bed"

"I'm not taking you back to bed" he replied "I'm taking you to the hospital"

"It's just a bug" she muttered "I'll be fine"

They made wobbly progress through the hall "I've listened to you throw up for the last three hours" he said "And you're burning up"

"I just need some sleep" she protested weakly.

"It's not up for discussion" he said, shoving her none too gracefully into the car.

…...

"What do you want to know?" Mac asked Lewes coldly. This went against all he believed in, everything he stood for. But he owed it to those girls, the ones who had suffered.

"How you caught me" Lewes replied simply "Step by step"

"That may take some time" Mac hedged.

"I have plenty of that" Lewes smiled, a nice smile, one that might be given to a friend bearing good news. It made Mac feel physically sick.

"Not if I have anything to do with it" Mac replied, lifting his chin "And I am not telling you the details of the processes"

"Of course" Lewes bowed his head gracefully "I wouldn't expect you to give away trade secrets"

Mac merely nodded, a sharp gesture.

"Start where it began Detective Taylor" Lewes tried to create an atmosphere of confidence, of ease. It set Mac's teeth on edge.

"It began" Mac said, trying to keep the aggression out of his voice "With a dead girl dumped in the Hudson"

"Ah" Lewes sat back, a look of rapt attention on his face "Do go on"

…...

"You're remarkably pleased with yourself" Danny commented as Don walked into the lab "For a guy who looks like he slept in his clothes"

Don smiled "I did" he replied.

"Right" Danny replied, his voice taut "If you're interested at all, Lindsay and I are headed out to the farm again, we got new evidence. Or you runnin' off with Mac and Hawkes again?!"

"Don't Danny" Don sighed "Can I buy you a beer? Tonight?"

Danny looked at him with speculation "Why?"

"To explain?" he offered.

"Now's a good a time as any" Danny challenged, arms folded.

"OK" Don admitted defeat "I'm doing something, for Mac. We _can't_ talk about it yet, trust me Danny, if I could I would, it's not something I like, but it's something we have to do"

"Right" Danny said again "You expect me to just buy that? I'm gonna be havin' words with Mac about this, it's not on"

"Danny" Don said quietly "It's to do with an old case. He'll tell you, when he's ready. He's asked for my confidence, which I intend to keep. I'd do the same for you"

Danny lowered his shoulders slightly "OK" he said finally "For now, I'll live with it. If it's that important to you both, then least I can do is respect that"

"Thank you" Don said.

"Where _did_ you sleep by the way?" Danny said "You look like crap"

"At the hospital" Don replied "Kate had her appendix out last night"

"My God" Danny's eyes opened wide "She OK?"

"She'll be fine" he smiled "Fine enough to kick me out this morning"

Danny laughed, shaking his head.

"I'm going back later this afternoon, when the doctor's due his rounds, so I got a few hours" Don said "You said you had new evidence?"

"We'll fill you in on the way" Danny said, all action now.

…...

Don groped for his phone as it rang, shocked awake. He'd gone home after he, Danny and Lindsay had visited the farm again, and slept.

"Flack" he croaked.

"The boot prints match" Danny told him "And the gravel we pulled from the tyres are a match to the gravel at the course, she was there"

"Right" Don sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes, blinking widely "I'll issue an arrest warrant for Lizzie Clare"

"You think we'll find her?" Danny asked "She wasn't at the farm, and with her car still there, the house open..."

"You think she's runnin'?" Don asked.

"Would make sense" Danny said.

"Her husband just got released" Don looked at his watch "I'm thinkin' they're not headed home"

"I'll put out a BOLO" Danny said.

"I'll call through an all ports" Don stood, heading for the door "Bus stations, all the usuals"

…...

"Anything?" Danny asked hopefully as he approached Don's desk.

"Nothing" he sighed "_How_ do people just vanish into thin air?!"

"Beats me buddy" Danny said heavily "They don't seem the murder and run type"

"I got eyes everywhere" Don said "Guys at the farm in case they come back, but so far, nada"

"Why you think she did it?" Don mused.

"I can tell you exactly why I did it Detective" they both looked up at the voice "And how"

"Mrs Clare" Danny sighed, looking at her "You're under arrest"

Don looked at his watch and his shoulders slumped slightly.

"Go" Danny grinned at him, taking Lizzie's arm gently "I'll book her in"

"Thanks" Don said, heading for the door "I owe you one"

"More than one" Danny replied with feeling.

…...

"Ah!" the door to Kate's hospital room flew open. A small man, as round as he was tall, wearing an old fashioned suit entered with a nurse fussing behind him.

"Katherine Flack" the nurse rattled off "Appendectomy, scar is clean, temp and obs normal" she handed him the notes.

"Oh yes my dear" the Doctor peered at her, smiling as Don stood opposite "I remember _you_"

"Hmmmm" he said absently, reading her notes "Ah yes, wonderful!"

Kate was feeling a little more alert after a few hours sleep, and sore.

"What?" she snapped.

"How are you feeling my dear?" the doctor asked, brows knitted with concern, hands resting on his ample stomach.

"Like I've been sliced open?!" she ventured, shaking Don's hand away as he tried to gain her attention quietly.

"Oh no doubt" the doctor grinned "You _have_ been"

"Humph" Kate folded her arms dramatically, regretting it as she caught her scar.

"Good Good!" he beamed "We'll have you home in a jiffy, just a trip to Obs and Gyne to double check all's well there! No reason why it shouldn't be though!""

Don froze, looking at the doctor, Kate was a little slower on the uptake, but it did get through, eventually.

"Obs and Gyne?!" she asked "Why?!"

"To check baby has no after effects of course!" the doctor chortled "Though at nearly 16 weeks, everything should be fine, past most danger points, seen younger ones than that fine after surgery!"

Kate just stared at him, her mouth open.

…...

_Hmmm think we _**all**_knew what was going on with Kate there huh?! Lol _


	14. Chapter 13

**Star of New York**

Chapter 13

Lewes regarded Mac shrewdly "So you had no evidence, nothing except a fuzzy picture of someone who _looked_ like me" he said "But you _knew_ it was me?"

"Crime solving 101" Mac replied "The last person to see the vic alive is _usually_ the killer"

"That's a pretty sweeping statement detective" Lewes replied.

"Not really" Mac replied "When you consider the the murderer usually makes sure the job is complete before dumping the body. Rare cases they leave their victim to die, and you admitted you were the last person to see her alive"

"I was" Lewes confirmed "But it wasn't enough was it?"

"No" Mac admitted finally after a long pause "It was the way you answered the question, when Flack said you were the last person to see her breathing, you agreed, readily. There was something in that"

"So what else apart from your gut?" Lewes asked, relaxing back into his chair.

"On that victim?" Mac replied "Nothing. No trace evidence, all the evidence washed away by the Hudson. Like you said the only thing we had was you and her on camera, coming out of the bar together"

"So that was my first mistake" Lewes looked _enlightened_, Mac gritted his teeth "I should have continued to dispose of them in the river"

"Your first mistake" Mac snapped "Was thinking you'd get away with it"

"I did" Lewes stated "For two years"

"But I knew I'd get you" Mac said with feeling "Was just a matter of time"

…...

"Oh so you get coffee and I get water?!" Kate took the glass from him, sliding up the bath tub "That's jus' great"

"You're pregnant, caffeine is bad for you" he pointed out.

"Hmmm" she smiled at him as he sat down on the floor opposite the bath "Stop looking at me like that"

"Like what?" he frowned, giving way to a smile.

"Like I'm gonna break. I'm still me" she said.

He shrugged "Can't help it, you just got out the hospital"

"You're gonna get _really_ overprotective now aren't you?" she asked, still smiling.

"Ah, yes" he replied.

"I kinda like it" she admitted.

"You tell me" he pointed at her "Anything and I mean _anything, _you don't feel quite right, _anything_" he said intensely, standing up.

"I will" she promised.

"I mean it Kate" he looked at her with the same intense gaze "None of this 'I'm fine' crap all the time"

"I know!" she protested "But right now, I _am_ fine, honestly!"

"Hmmmm" he eyed her speculatively "Anyway come on, out the bath, I gotta go back to work"

"I am able to get out the bath by myself!" she protested "I'm not an invalid!"

"You just had surgery" he said, holding a towel "And you're pregnant, so you think I'm leaving until you're safely tucked up in bed, you got another think comin'"

"All right!" she huffed, standing and letting him help her "There I'm out!"

"Bed" he said shoving her gently in the direction of the bedroom "And you better still be there when I get home"

"I remember a time when you said that with a smile on your face" she grumbled.

"You kiddin' me?!" he looked incredulous.

"Yes actually I am" she gave a small laugh, holding her stomach where the red angry scar was present "It's still kinda sore"

"Good" he strapped his gun and badge to his belt, watching as she climbed awkwardly into the bed "Maybe I should..."

"Go to work" Kate said "If I need you I'll call, now go"

"OK" he said speculatively "Behave yourself"

"I'll be sure to stop the chandelier swinging before you get home" she replied, getting comfortable and picking up the TV remote.

"It's not funny Kate" he said.

"Oh go to work" she laughed at him "I'm not going to do anything stupid"

"Hey" she called out as he reached the hall.

"Yeah?" he poked his head round the door.

"Why didn't you tell me I was puttin' on weight?" she asked.

"I, er" he faltered "There's no right answer to this is there?"

"Probably not" she laughed.

"You haven't really" he sighed "Just ...parts of you I could _swear_ got bigger, but I didn't want um, slapping. So I didn't mention it"

"They did" she pondered "Thought my bra's had shrunk in the wash"

"You're kinda, softer" he hedged "But you haven't really put on weight, as such"

"Hmmm" she regarded him "Go to work before you say somethin' stupid"

…...

"Kate OK?" Danny asked as Don entered the bull pen.

"She's...great" he smiled, noticing Danny's frown "What?"

"Kind of an odd reaction to your wife having surgery" Danny replied.

Don smirked, and looked at his feet "You know when I asked Mac to be my best man?" Don asked "What you said?"

"About bein' Godfather to..." Danny's face lit up as the penny dropped, after his tone had started questioningly "Seriously?" he grinned "Kate's pregnant?! I thought she'd had her appendix out!"

"That too" Don replied "They found out when they were trying to find out what was wrong"

"Oh Donnie boy!" Danny held out his hand and they shook, the hand shake turning into a hug "Congratulations buddy!"

"Thanks" Don replied "Nearly 4 months"

"And you didn't know?" Danny asked "Wow, Lindsay was throwin' up every 5 minutes"

"Nothin'" Don shrugged "I don't really care, I'm just glad they're both OK"

"That's great" Danny grinned.

"So" Don picked up the case file in front of him "You talk to Mrs Clare yet?"

"Waitin' for my partner" Danny said with a smile "After you"

…...

"You don't look like the kinda lady who spends a lot a time in a police interrogation room" Don said, dropping the case file onto the table and sitting down "So I'm gonna explain this to you"

Lizzie Clare just looked back, her face expressionless.

He continued "I'm gonna tell you what I know" he sat back, folding his arms "And then you're gonna tell me what you know. And somewhere along the line, we'll hit the truth"

"What I know is" he started "That we have a dead jockey. We have the murder weapon that came from your old horse. We have your boot prints at the scene and gravel from the track on your car that says you were there. I also know that Carl Royle was doping your husbands horse, that your groom knew" he stopped, looking at Danny.

"Now all the evidence we had pointed right at Tommi, your groom" Danny said "She knew he was doping the horse, she'd had a relationship gone bad with him, she certainly had motive. She also had means and opportunity"

"But" Don carried on "When we were this close to charging her, your husband walks in and confesses to a murder he knows absolutely nothing about. Now 'why would he do that?' We thought to ourselves"

Danny sighed "My money was on an affair" he glanced at Don "But the evidence, when we looked at it from a different angle, that pointed to you"

"Now here's what I need you to clarify" Don said, leaning across the table "When you found out that Royle was putting your whole business at risk by doping that horse. If he'd got caught, that was the end of your husband. Star of New York was your meal ticket, the thing keeping you all afloat. You weren't about to see that go down the pan. You had to act right?"

"I didn't know until I got to the track" Lizzie finally spoke "I caught him"

"I got a problem with that" Danny replied "Do you have a problem with that Detective Flack?"

"I do" Don turned his head to one side "Because the horse shoe that killed him, that came from your old horse, it wasn't just lying around. So that means you _took_ it to the track. I'm thinkin' that you intended to kill Carl, and pin it on the horse"

"It wasn't like that" Lizzie said.

"It looks like premeditated murder" Danny said.

"I told you" she said "I caught him at the track, doping the horse, and I lost it when we argued and hit him. I didn't know he was dead, Star went nuts, so I left"

"Thinking that the horse would take the blame?" Danny asked.

"Yes" she said quietly.

"See" Don stood, going behind her and looking out of the window "We have the difference here between murder one and manslaughter, that's a lot of years difference in prison, or on death row"

"I didn't plan it" Lizzie said flatly.

"So do you just carry a horse shoe about on your pocket?" Danny asked "Bit heavy as a good luck charm, I prefer a rabbits foot"

"Four leaf clover for me" Don joined, shrugging.

"It's a family tradition" Lizzie said suddenly "When horse from the yard casts a shoe on race day, it's said to be good luck. This race was _Important_" she stressed "Old Grey cast his shoe when I went to check him, I picked it up, decided that we needed all the luck we could get. I got in the car and drove to the track. I intended to give it to Joseph"

"But when you went to find him, you found Carl doping the horse?" Danny supplied.

"Yes" she answered "I had it in my hand, I asked him what he was doing and he told me Star needed the boost, that he was too laid back. That we'd made him that way and he needed to be more aggressive. I asked him not to, _begged_" her eyes filled with tears "I begged him not to do it, that Star could win anyway. He refused, and when he turned to inject him, I hit Carl with the shoe"

"And then you left" Don concluded "And maintained all along that you had been home all day?"

"Yes" she whispered, wiping away tears.

"So why did your husband confess?" Danny asked.

"Because Tommi told him what Carl had been doing" Lizzie sighed "And then he saw that Old Grey had cast a shoe. He knew that I would have brought the shoe, or at least told him about it. He worked it out. He knew it was me"

Don stepped over behind her "Stand up" he said.

Feeling for his cuffs as she did so, he caught Danny shake his head almost imperceptibly.

He agreed, he didn't need the cuffs for this one.

…...


	15. Chapter 14

**Star of New York**

Chapter 14

_5 months later_

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Don said, his voice furious as he watched his wife, almost 9 pregnant balancing at the top of a ladder.

"Decorating" she replied, not even looking round.

"Get down!" he growled "Now!"

"If I wait for you to do it" she said in a bored voice "He'll be in college"

"I said I'd do it and I will!" he said, holding the ladders "You're such a stubborn bitch"

"Yes I am" she grinned at him "But it looks good right?"

"It'd look a lot better if you were safely on the floor" he complained "_Please_ get down Kate"

"That's better" she held her hands out so he could help her down "Manners Donnie!"

"Don't call me that" he grumbled "_Anything_ but that, my mother calls me that"

"Sorry" she laughed, not sounding it at all. She put her arms around his neck awkwardly, the bump getting in the way, kissing him deeply, pulling away she laughed outright at the look of surprise on his face "What?"

"You" he sounded breathless "This baby has turned you into some kind of nymphomaniac, not that I'm complaining you understand"

"I should hope not" she said with a sly smile, sliding her hands up to remove his shirt.

"Now?" he asked, watching her undress him.

"Oh yes" she said "Right now, I been thinking about this since you went to work"

"You have huh?" he grinned, backing up until he could sit on the bed as she removed the old shirt she wore and advanced again.

Half an hour later they lay side by side, Kate wriggling about and sighing, trying to get comfortable.

"Your back hurtin' again?" he asked as she rubbed at her lower lumbar.

"Mmmm" she replied "I'll be glad when this is all over, it's been really hurting all day"

"Won't be long" he murmured in her ear lying on his side and rubbing her back as she lay facing away from him "That's what you get for climbing ladders"

"Ow!" she suddenly gasped "Oh **SHIT** that hurts!"

"Sorry!" he sprang back "Are you OK?"

"Not you" she winced through gritted teeth curling over on herself "I think" she puffed "That I'm having a contraction"

"Oh my God!" Don leapt off the bed, staring down at her as she clutched at the pillow, sweat starting to form on her brow "Kate?"

She relaxed slightly as the contraction eased "Help me up" she whispered.

He helped her stand slowly, supporting her weight as she shakily got to her feet "I'll get the car" he said quickly.

"Might wanna get dressed first" she smiled at him, finally able to breathe properly again.

"Uh?!" he looked blank and then realisation dawned "Right, can you walk?"

"I think so" she said, leaning on him as they went from the nursery into their own bedroom.

"Pass me my sweats" she asked as she sank onto the bed slowly. Suddenly she doubled over again, the pain taking her breath away.

"Kate?" he would have looked comical Kate thought, if she wasn't in so much pain. His eyes wide in panic, his shirt half on, boxers and one sock.

She couldn't answer, she clutched at her knees, trying to ride the pain, looking at him blankly. She took a deep breath as it eased, releasing her grip.

"Help me..." she uttered "Get dressed"

Finally both dressed he shot out the front door with Kate's bag, leaving her on the bed, head between her knees as she tried to not throw up. He came back, running through the hall.

"Come on" he encouraged her through the hallway, she could see his car at the bottom of the stairs, as close as he could get it, blue and red lights flashing.

"Don!" she moaned, collapsing to her knees as another contraction came on, fiercer than the last.

"It's OK" he said, not knowing what else to say as he lowered her down, kneeling beside her "I'm here"

"OK" she said as the pain eased "Let's go"

He half carried her to the car, pushing the front seat right back and somehow getting her in and strapping the seatbelt around her. Running around the hood, he threw himself in the drivers seat, and had the car moving before the door was properly closed.

"Slow down!" she said "I wanna get there alive!"

He shot her a worried glance "I thought first babies were supposed to take ages?!" he asked.

"Well this one has other ideas!" she replied, gritting her teeth as another contraction came on "The road!" she ordered as he looked at her.

…...

"You used me and you used my team!" Mac Taylor exploded across the table at Lewes "You never had any intention of a film, it was all to pick holes in my investigation!"

"A man's life is a precious thing" Lewes replied, unfazed by the outburst.

"Not yours!" Mac retorted "You may get this appeal, but you won't win, I'll see to that!"

"I have you, Detective Flack and Doctor Hawkes all contradicting each other, on tape Detective" Lewes replied "The DA has reviewed it, the appeal _will_ go ahead"

"The evidence was sound" Mac ground out "The conviction was sound"

"Apparently not" Lewes smiled "I'll see you in court, Detective"

"And I'll see you dead!" Mac promised, hatred in his face "Like the women you murdered"

Mac stalked out of the prison, slamming into his car he switched his cell back on, it immediately bleeped.

_Baby boy, 8ls 6oz. Both fine. Flack._

Despite himself, Mac smiled. There was a long and dark road ahead of him, and the rest of them. But this small life, brought into a world of loving family and extended family was cause for hope.

He started the car, heading away from the looming presence of the prison into brighter and happier places.

…...

Sid Hammerback watched as the girl jockey set the horse in motion. Ears pricked and nostrils flared, the little stallion galloped his heart out, passing the competition easily to romp home.

"Thank you Star!" he said, kissing the betting slip, reaching for his phone as it bleeped a message through.

_Baby boy, 8ls 6oz. Both fine. Flack._

"Oh wonderful!" he chortled, lining up with the other punters to collect his winnings. The winnings he'd ear marked for baby Flack's first present – a rocking horse.

"You get that Doc?!" Lindsay asked as she fought through the crowd to him.

"The baby?!" he answered, face lighting up "I did, wonderful news!"

"Flack a father" Danny intoned, appearing behind Lindsay "Scary"

"Oh behave Danny!" Jo laughed, cuddling her daughter Ellie closer to her.

"I know,I know" Danny rolled his eyes "You predicted it all, you already had your fifty bucks Jo, you ain't gettin' any more"

"I don't _want_ any more" she replied cheekily "What say we stop at the hospital on the way home?"

"Sounds good" Hawkes replied "Can't wait to see Detective Flack faced with a dirty daiper!"

"Hey guys!" Adam came running through the crowd waving his cell "Baby's arrived!"

"We know" they chorused.

"Oh" Adam looked downcast for a moment "He text you all too?"

"Yeah" Danny said "All the family"

He swung an arm around Adam and Sid. Adam suddenly smiled, _family._

…...


	16. Epilogue

Bulletproof 

Epilogue – 6 years on.

After losing someone you are never the same. Flack is no exception, in fact he's probably the prime example of the rule. Short affairs, with short lifespans are the way forward for now. Safe women, women who cook him dinner, call him darling, and work in an office. Not women who are hard work and risking their lives everyday for what? A cap on top of a pine box? No, he was done with adrenaline filled, high action relationships. He'd eventually ask one of his 'safe' dates to marry him he expected, have some kids, buy a Labrador. That'd be safe, a hot dinner and a warm woman at home. He'd always preferred it the other way round, and look where that got him. He would love her, but not be in love with her, he'd treat her well, see he gave what she needed, be a good father and live his life. Make provision for the future, should he not be around to provide it. That was how Donald Flack Junior saw his life panning out from 34 onwards, he figured he needed to get a move on, he didn't want to be teaching his kids to play ball with a walking stick. Yes, he had his life planned out, what he wanted all slotted neatly into boxes.

This all started at the bust he, Danny and Mac had done over a year or so ago , Danny had kissed his photo of Lucy, Mac kissed his crucifix necklace, and Flack? Well he taken a long hard look at his badge. That _was_ his life now, with the exception of his friends on the team and hockey, it was his passion, and always would be. But he wanted more from life, his line of work had a short life span and he couldn't see himself riding a desk until retirement, but he needed to face facts, if he lived long enough, one day he'd be a lonely ex cop, sitting in a tiny apartment, having achieved nothing more than catching some bad guys, and loving a woman, many decades before.

…...

But life didn't work like that did it? Don Flack reflected on what he'd planned, and what he'd got, and how the two were similar, almost as if it _had_ gone to plan, yet how different his life had turned out to be.

He was married, he had two kids and he even had the Labrador. And his life was utter chaos. Nothing neatly placed in boxes, no one doing as they're supposed to. He was _in_ love with his wife, despite her penchant for sulking and adult tantrums when she didn't get her own way. Despite his protests, she had him whipped, totally.

His son was someone who had completely changed his life, for the better. He was proud and showed it, he refused to hide behind convention like his own father had, he loved his son, and he never failed an opportunity to show it.

As for his daughter, he smiled, she was always _his_ daughter when she was acting up, not their daughter, and there was a reason for that. He seemed to be the only one who could handle her. She was stubborn, strong willed and single minded, and so much like her mother it scared him. It was probably the reason that he could get through to her, tried and tested methods that worked with Kate also worked with Mollie.

As a family they seemed to run from one crisis to another, dog going missing, children misbehaving, wife throwing the contents of a cupboard at him. But he loved it.

He stood at the grave side. Sadness overwhelming. He would miss his Grandfather a lot, more than a lot. He was the foundation for him, the start of what he wanted from his life, seeing the tall man in the NYPD uniform, seeing how his father idolised his own father, had impacted from an early age.

"I love you Grandpa" he said, turning to leave. Taking a different path to the one he'd used when visiting his grandfather's fathers grave, he found himself in front of a worn headstone, one he hadn't seen for nearly 15 years. It still hurt.

"Life's weird huh?" he asked the settled grave "But I think you had a hand in all this Jess"

He stood for a long time, wondering what might have been, what would have happened if she'd lived. Would they have made it? Or would he have ended up with Kate anyway? Would they just be two 40-something Detectives that were always too scared to do more than have a work based relationship, or would they have more? He still loved Jess, a feeling like that could never go away, he'd realised that long ago, but that didn't mean he needed to spend his life in mourning for her, and he hadn't.

He loved Kate too. She drove him crazy, and he did her, their marriage was stable and secure but there were fireworks, regular fireworks, which were exacerbated by the arrival of two copies of their parents. The house was always a mess, it was hit and miss to whether there was an actual cooked meal to come home to, or an empty house because they were both still at work and the kids at the child minders.

He drove home slowly, pulling into the driveway he reflected that Kate would go nuts when she saw that Mollie had been digging the lawn up again. Correction, he thought, Kate was _already_ going nuts. He could hear her as he got out of the car.

"Damn it Mollie!" he smiled as he heard the exasperated tone "Will you _stop_ tying the dog to the fence!"

DJ waved from his bedroom window, at 6 he was already tall and promising to be broad, and an utter Mommy's boy. Mollie at 3 was screaming back at her mother.

"I want Daddy!" he heard.

"Me too!" Kate agreed back. He grinned at the possessiveness in her voice "But he's out, so we have to wait!"

"He's home" Don said warily as he came through the door to be assaulted by his daughter throwing herself at him.

"Dadeee!" she whined, burying her face in his shoulder, he could feel the crocodile tears already "Mommy shouted at me"

"Mommy shouts at everyone" he laughed.

"Hey Dad" DJ paused on the stairs, he was quiet in nature and Don wondered how, with his parentage, he was so well balanced.

"Hey bud" he smiled.

"DJ!" Kate heard him "If that laundry isn't in this basket in 10 seconds flat, it ain't gettin' washed!"

"I got it mom" he said, smiling at his father he carried a pile of dirty hockey gear to the kitchen, Don following with Mollie hanging around his neck still, sniffing loudly.

"Good boy" Kate smiled at her son, touching his face before she took it from him "Thank you, what would I do without you huh!?"

"Can I go out?" the boy asked.

"Of course" she said, but her face belied the easy tone "Not off the street though, and don't be long, dinner will be ready soon"

"You're overprotective you know" Don told her quietly.

"Huh" Kate muttered from her prone position, stuffing laundry into the machine "And you're not?!"

She straightened to look at him, Mollie turned, giving Kate a smile of pure smugness from her place in her fathers arms.

"I guess so" he smiled "I can't help it if I love you all can I?"

Kate paused, looking at him "You OK?" she asked, rubbing her back.

"Yeah" he smiled a genuine smile "Yeah I am"

"Good" she touched his face, the way she had with her son as a jingle from the TV pealed through the air.

"Ha!" Mollie shouted excitedly nearly causing Don to drop her as she bounced about "Disney! Put me down!"

"Go on then" he said fondly, setting her down.

Kate flew around the kitchen, throwing things all over the place in preparation for dinner. Don opened the fridge, taking himself a beer and sitting on the stool, watching her.

A cold nose in his hand distracted his attention, he stroked the top of the dogs head absently, adoring brown eyes looked up at him, tail wagging slowly.

"Mom!" a yell came as the front door crashed open, Don winced, that'd be some more repair work on the house. When they'd moved from the city to a bigger house in a better area, the house had been well appointed and kept. Now it was full of patches and missing bits, life with two kids he supposed.

"Yeah?" Kate shouted back.

"Dylan wants to know if I can have dinner at his house?" DJ shouted back "Can I?"

"Is it OK with his mom?" she shouted back, Don and the dog looking back and forth between them.

"She's gonna call you" he shouted "Can I?"

"If you want, one of us will come for you at eight" she said back as the phone rang.

"Hello?" she wedged the phone between her ear and shoulder, chopping vegetables awkwardly "Yeah, uh-huh. Eight yup, that's great thanks Susie"

"Anything I can do?" Don asked, half laughing.

"You been at work for twelve hours" she said, brushing hair out of her face irritably "Sit and drink beer, you're off tomorrow and I'm on the midnight tonight, your turn then" she laughed.

"Does that mean we get a couple a hours on our _own_ tomorrow afternoon?" he asked with mock amazement. His face falling as he saw Kate's expression.

"No" she sighed, stopping what she was doing and looking at him "Shift change, back on at 4"

He sighed deeply.

"Sorry" she said with true regret "I miss you too"

"Family life" he said lightly as she turned back to cooking.

The dog yawned, sitting down next his master, nudging his leg for some attention.

The dog was the only one in the house that was sane, Don reflected.

...

Sergeant Kate Flack frowned as a bulletin flashed up on the screen of the central booking computer. Tapping a few keys she read it:

**APB on Craig Lewes escaped prisoner.**

**Escaped at final appeal hearing.**

**Consider extremely dangerous.**

Kate punched a few buttons, frowning. She recognised the name but couldn't remember why. She shrugged, in her time with NYPD she'd made hundreds if not thousands of arrests, and as an ESU officer and sniper, helped with many more.

Since leaving ESU and taking the sergeants position in central booking at the 12th precinct, she'd booked thousands through central booking in her 5 years, and taken her share off the street when she was assigned to the beat a few times a month. Not to mention sharing a bed with a homicide detective for nearly 9 years, pillow talk usually consisted of the day's cases and collars.

She put the bulletin out to the street beat cops by cell, then moving on to the detectives and brass via email. She looked up sharply as the doors flew open, five uniformed officers fighting with a large man, already cuffed and not happy about it. Her assisting officer in booking, Georgia, jumped up to help.

"He-ey!" Kate yelled "Calm the hell down!"

"Pig bitch!" The man said, rushing at her. She stepped smartly out of the way, allowing the other officers to bring him down.

"Real charmer aren't you" she muttered, feeling for her keys and unlocking a vacant cell "Lets see if a couple of hours in here can cool your temper"

She watched as the officers threw him to the ground, removing the cuffs and making a dash for the door. They held it shut as she locked the door soundly.

"Oh I love this job" she rolled her eyes at the now grinning uniformed officers panting in central booking "Now, who's gonna get sarge a coffee while I sort the paperwork huh?!" she grinned back.

…...

_That was the last in the bulletproof series, Kate is no longer ESU and therefore, bulletproof :) Not done with this yet though. The Craig Lewes story is to be continued..._


End file.
